Partnership Yields Workforce Training

MERIDIAN - - Local and area individuals are learning basic aircraft assembly skills thanks to the partnership between Meridian Community College and Lockheed Martin.

The learning opportunity marks the beginning of the first course in the college’s Workforce Training Center located on Mississippi Highway 19 North.  The first two-week course included seven men and seven women from our local region.

The course incorporated elements of the new Modern Multi-Skilled Manufacturing (M3) Credential developed by the West Alabama – East Mississippi (WAEM) Initiative.

Lockheed Martin approached MCC’s workforce training department to help establish a local pool of prospective employees for any jobs their company might have.

“The changing economy has encouraged Mississippians to seek out new skills and abilities like never before.  Many have found these new skills through training and education at Meridian Community College.  The resulting growth in MCC’s student population has limited our ability to perform new programs on our main campus.   The Workforce Training Center allowed us the space to do this training.  This new facility enables MCC workforce to provide skills and other programs for our community.  With new skills come new opportunities for employment or advancement.” noted MCC Assistant Workforce Director, Dan Talley.

To be eligible for the two week 80 hour program, participants had to have achieved at least a bronze Career Readiness Certificate (CRC) from Meridian Community College.  As part of the training the group will also learn three of the skills required under the M3 credential – blueprint reading, precision measurement and hand and power tools. 

CRCs and M3 Credentials are part of a regional workforce certification and credentialing agreement that builds common language and credentials across districts, emphasizes skills certification and helps brand the regional workforce in West Alabama and East Mississippi.  Meridian Public Schools and Lauderdale County Schools have been in discussions with MCC to provide opportunities to high school students to attain both of these credentials.

The on-going basic aircraft assembly training will continue with classes on Monday and Wednesday evenings or Tuesday and Thursday evenings for 10 weeks as well as additional two- week day programs.

Through the WAEM initiative and WIRED grant funds, MCC has an additional industrial maintenance instructor on staff now and a new welding instructor will begin early September.  These programs are to begin shortly in the Workforce Training Center under the direction of the local workforce council.