Eight community and junior colleges in West Alabama and East Mississippi joined together Friday, January 11, 2008, with The Montgomery Institute (TMI) to compete for a U.S. Department of Labor Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED) grant. Endorsed by Alabama Governor Bob Riley and Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, the region’s application was accepted and a $15 million, three-year grant was awarded. The grant provided for the creation of an innovative, regional workforce education and training system to address key skill needs in the region. The grant also called for interaction among the colleges to build the region’s identity, craft regional strategies, and support regional initiatives. The “WAEM Alliance” provides the platform for the eight colleges and TMI not only to accomplish the goals of the WIRED grant, but also to sustain the regional workforce system and related regional initiatives beyond the grant period.
“The formalization of the WAEM Alliance is a vital step in assuring continuing development of our region’s workforce,” Wade Jones, President of the East Mississippi Business Development Corporation observed. He continued, “Employers, employees and economic developers are not bound by city limits, county lines, college districts nor state lines. We consider a 65-mile commuting radius as we define workforce capacity for our existing and potential customers.”
The WAEM Alliance adopted by-laws and elected officers: Dr. James Mitchell, President of Wallace Community College-Selma, Alliance President; Dr. Scott Elliott, President of Meridian Community College, Alliance Vice President. Each will serve a period of two years.
Alabama Southern Community College, Bevill State Community College, Shelton State Community College, and Wallace Community College – Selma are the participating Alabama community colleges. East Central Community College, East Mississippi Community College, Jones County Junior College, and Meridian Community College are the participating Mississippi community and junior colleges.
Among the matters under the auspices of the Alliance are:
regional credentialing; alignment and integration of credit and non-credit career and technical training programs pertaining to regional initiatives;
financing the Alliance and regional activities;
WAEM WIRED Goals 1 through 4;
coordination and integration with Alabama and Mississippi workforce investment plans, workforce systems, and state agencies; and
other functions to be determined.
Each participating college and The Montgomery Institute (Charter Allies) adopted a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) authorizing participation in the WAEM Alliance. These MOAs provide for institutional support of the following:
Development and implementation of an innovative, regional workforce education and training system to support the advanced manufacturing cluster identified by the WAEM Governors’ Summit held May 14, 2007, in Monroeville, AL, as well as other programs that may be selected by the WAEM Alliance.
Development and implementation of a set of “modern multi-skill manufacturing” M3 Credentials based on national standards to be awarded regionally for both credit and non-credit technical education and training for college and high school students, dislocated and unemployed workers, and incumbent and underemployed workers.
Promote WorkKeys based Career Readiness Credentials for all credit and non-credit career and technical training participants, dislocated and unemployed workers, and incumbent and underemployed workers in the region, and pursue such credentialing for all community and junior college students as well as high school students.
Seek additional opportunities to acquire or leverage funding for regional initiatives.
Enhance technical and interdisciplinary expertise of participating colleges’ faculty and staff through greater cooperation with other colleges, universities, institutions, and agencies.
Develop shared programs and resources among the partner institutions.
Better align career and technical and workforce education and training at partner institutions with regional workforce needs.
To accomplish the above, Charter Allies will be asked in the MOA to commit to do the following:
Agree that the Charter Ally president shall serve on the WAEM Alliance Executive Council and will actively participate in WAEM Alliance activities and that the Council may establish by-laws, operating procedures, and priorities for the WAEM Alliance.
Assign one senior Career and Technical representative (dean or associate dean preferred) and one senior Workforce Training representative (director or associate director preferred) to serve on credentialing and other taskforces as established by the WAEM Alliance.
Allow and encourage assigned representatives and other staff to attend WAEM Alliance events and meetings in the region, i.e., across state lines if necessary.
Provide information on programs, curricula, expertise, faculty, and financing related to WAEM Alliance initiatives.
Comply with the by-laws established by the WAEM Alliance.
Terminate participation in the WAEM Alliance under this MOA only upon written notice to the parties thereto and upon fulfillment of any outstanding obligations.
Other organizations representing state, regional and local workforce agencies, economic development agencies, and community development agencies will be encouraged join the WAEM Alliance as (non-voting, non-Charter) Allies.
