East Mississippi Community College is looking for apprenticeship partners

A $200,000 grant at East Mississippi Community College is expected to benefit local industries

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss (WCBI)- A $200,000 grant at East Mississippi Community College is expected to benefit local industries. The school will use the money for training to improve the skills of workers already employed at manufacturing companies. An apprenticeship program at East Mississippi Community College will allow businesses to get their employees in-class training to improve or speed up their work on the job.

The school’s vice president of workforce and economic development, Courtney Taylor, said EMCC stands ready to help area workers brush up on their work skills.

“Our students need to work and they need to work quickly and often times they have to choose between work or training or school and so what we’re trying to do is find different path ways for people to do both,” said Taylor.

EMCC was awarded the grant in early August and launched the program on September 1, 2021. The next step it getting companies to partner with them.

“Partnerships are really unlimited depending on what our employers need. A big focus of ours for this grant is trying to help our employers that have current employees, but they need a little additional training to upskill and go on to the next stage of their career,” said Taylor.

Taylor said the grant money can be used in a variety of ways for employees coming to expand their knowledge of their job.

“The Mississippi Apprenticeship program actually gives us a good bit of flexibility to take care of what people might need. We will potentially help people with tuition, we can help them with wrap-around services which could be child care it could be even fuel cards or something like that it really is person dependent,” said Taylor.

Businesses big or small are welcome to partner with the college and take their workers to the next level in their careers. This not only helps the company and school but the student/employee as well

“From an employee perspective, it can be a valuable training that it really doubles up and helps drive some points home that maybe you might not remember if your job comes six months after the training or after you’ve learned something,” said Taylor.

Any business in the surrounding six counties is encouraged to reach out to EMCC by calling (662)-243-2659.