The Upskill Mississippi grant plans to give students working in construction and other hands-on physical labor jobs tuition-free education at community and junior colleges for programs that advance their workplace skills.
Though the grant only includes community and junior colleges, many changes are still being made to the bill. Dr. Emre Bayraktar, director of the School of Construction and Design, expresses how this could benefit the workforce.
“So, we get a lot of transfer students from two-year community colleges.” Dr. Bayaraktar said. “So, I think the grant is great. This grant is going to have to have workforce development at the junior college level.”
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College already has an upskill program that offers a partial scholarship and is sponsored by Lowe’s. According to the Mississippi Gulf Coast website, “The Lowe’s Foundation Scholarship provides up to $1000 in scholarship assistance for students in skilled trades training programs.”
Currently, the Mississippi Office of Workforce Development offers the Accelerate MS program to help people enter the workforce, develop the skills they need, and find jobs. They offer jobs from Amazon, Huber Engineered Woods, and Amplify Cell Technologies. They also offer ways to get education and training in the fields of interest.
There are also several local community and junior colleges that offer Upskill programs in welding, construction, and other high-demand, hands-on jobs in the workforce.
The USM School of Construction and Design currently offers different professional certifications that students can get while in school. The school also offers hands-on experiences for students in interior design, architectural engineering technology, and construction management.
The bill was created to foster interest in high-growth, high-demand industries. The bill hopes to help “address workforce shortages in rural areas” and “promote lifelong learning and upskilling.” Currently, there is an age limit for applicants to the program. Applicants have to be at least 24 years old and enrolled at least as a half-time student at a community college.
The bill is still being amended to include different aspects of the workforce. The grant also includes different programs to find funding for school, programs like the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, which provides up to $250 per term in emergency aid, childcare stipends, or transportation assistance. They also accept online courses for applicants who need a more flexible schedule.
To find out more about careers or programs in construction or other hands-on jobs, you can visit the School of Construction and Design or the acceleratems.org
