Workforce Solutions Program
The Workforce Solutions Program at Northwest Mississippi Community College provides services to individuals and business/industry. Services available to individuals include assessment, basic skills training, pre-employment training, referral to full-time Career and Technical programs, and short-term adult training. Services available to business and industry include training needs assessment, assistance with the development of long-range training plans, workplace basic skills, industry specific pre-employment training, customized skills training, advanced skills training, total quality management and leadership training.
The Workforce Solutions Program was planned and created in accordance with Mississippi’s Workforce and Education Act of 1994 and is organized and supported through the Mississippi Community College Board and Northwest Mississippi Community College. The work of the program is driven by a District Workforce Development Council whose members represent the 11-county service area of Northwest Mississippi Community College.
For information concerning the Workforce Solutions Program services, call (662) 562-3457, (662) 562-3402, or email: workforce@northwestms.edu.
Adult Education/High School Equivalency Program and Assessments
Northwest Mississippi Community College offers a program of Adult Education (AE) which provides an opportunity for persons ages 16-17 (with proper documentation) or over to attend High School Equivalency (HSE) classes. Regardless of age, all adults with no high school diploma are eligible to attend Northwest HSE classes. The Mississippi High School Equivalency Diploma is the legal equivalent of a Mississippi High School Diploma. The HSE diploma may be used for employment or further post-secondary education.
The Adult Education program has been planned and developed in accordance with the Mississippi Community College Board (MCCB) State Plan for Adult Education (AE) and is organized with the cooperation and support of superintendents of education and school principals within the Northwest district.
New students are enrolled throughout the year. Students are given initial placement assessments to determine readiness and skills needed in order to pass the High School Equivalency (HSE) exam. Participants enrolled in the Northwest HSE program are not charged a tuition fee. Books, instructional materials, and supplies are provided at no cost to the AE student. Access to Northwest Adult Education online software is also available for students enrolled and attending classes in the HSE program. The computer programs are supplemental to classroom instruction.
Currently, Northwest offers two forms of high school equivalency testing. The GED test and HiSet test are given at several authorized locations throughout the Northwest district. GED and HiSet testing fees are paid by the participant when the tests are scheduled online. A Competency-Based HSE Option has been approved by the state and is available for students that meet the state guidelines for the Competency-Based Option.
For more information about HSE testing contact: www.gedtestingservice.com or www.hiset.ets.org.
For information about the Northwest Adult Education program contact: jwilliams@northwestms.edu or call (662) 562-3450.
MI-BEST
The Mississippi Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (MI-BEST) program is a career bridge that combines Adult Education with college-level courses. Northwest MI-BEST offers students the Administrative Office Technology pathway. Students simultaneously attend Adult Education classes to obtain their high school equivalency. Students will earn various credentials while enrolled in the program. The MI-BEST program is offered on the Senatobia campus only. Students must be Mississippi residents, 17 years of age, meet the MI-BEST requirements of the NCRC assessment, and complete required Adult Education/MI-BEST paperwork.
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) replaces the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) by amending the law to strengthen the United States workforce development system through innovation in, and alignment and improvement of, employment, training, and education programs in the United States, and to promote individual and national economic growth, and for other purposes. The law provides the framework for a national workforce preparation and employment system designed to meet both the needs of the nation’s businesses and the needs of job seekers and those who want to further their careers. WIOA reforms current federal laws governing programs of job training, adult education and literacy, vocational rehabilitation, and youth, making services more universally accessible and more flexible components of workforce development systems.
Northwest Mississippi Community College serves as the One-Stop Career Center Operator and WIOA Career and Training Services Provider. The One-Stop system offers access to services that encompasses assessments/skills needs, job search, job placement, labor market information, individual employment planning, educational and career counseling, occupational skills training, skill upgrading, internships and work experience, job readiness, adult education, and literacy and High School Equivalency (HSE) programs for adults and out-of-school youth free of charge. WIOA funds are provided through the Mississippi Partnership Workforce Area and Delta Workforce Development Area.
Advanced Manufacturing Partnership (AMP)
AMP offers eligible students the opportunity to interview for an industry-led apprenticeship with manufacturing and distribution/logistics companies. Students selected for industry-led apprenticeships obtain work experience and on the job training while continuing their education. Students are required to obtain professionalism training, attend resume-writing workshops, and participate in a mock interview prior to participating in the interview process. Partnering companies may be eligible for reimbursement through the Workforce Investment Opportunity Act program (WIOA). WIOA funds are provided through the Mississippi Partnership Workforce Area administered through Three Rivers Planning and Development District and South Delta Planning and Development District to offset the student’s wages.
Continuing Education
The Division of Continuing Education is the College’s administrative unit responsible for providing learning opportunities that differ from the traditional model of semester-long course instruction.
The goals of the division are:
- To expand learning opportunities that encourage attainment of knowledge for all ages.
- To improve the variety and delivery of educational opportunities that prepare participants to become productive contributors to self and others.
The division offers a wide range of courses which vary in length, duration, and in cost depending on the topic and level of instruction. Continuing Education also provides non-traditional credit courses to serve identified needs in the district that are not being met through traditionally scheduled classes.
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