State lawmaker pushes for more funding for community colleges, workforce development

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – A state lawmaker said he would push for more funding for community colleges and workforce development.

District 16 Representative Rickey Thompson attended the opening of ICC’s academic and student center and said adequate funding of community colleges is an investment for the entire state.

The first-term lawmaker also believed more funding would be available for workforce development.

Thompson said there aren’t enough teachers for workforce development courses across the state.

“One of the big things we are looking at is workforce development side of it, is where we are trying to get more teachers in classroom for skills that are very much needed because we know some students will not want to go to college and have an opportunity to fulfill their dreams, and that’s one of the things we are working on in Jackson, is to take some restrictions off some things as far as requirements when it comes to classroom teaching different skills,” explained Rep. Thompson.

Representative Thompson said lawmakers should know later this week which bills will make it out of committee for consideration in the House.