A local coalition led by Workforce Mid-South was today awarded $21.5 million through the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s Good Jobs Challenge to expand economic mobility opportunities across the region. Through the Mid-South Center for Occupational Innovation (MCOI), under the Workforce Mid-South umbrella, this group will establish three transformative one-stop Accelerated Skills Training (AST) Centers serving East Arkansas, North Mississippi, and West Tennessee.

The AST Centers will deliver rapid credentialing opportunities through programs of the same quality as traditional education models but in less time – four to 24 weeks. Three sectoral partnerships, each led by a backbone organization representing the area’s high-growth advanced manufacturing, logistics technology, and construction sectors have been created, formalizing alignment across regional boundaries and state lines and creating the optimal ecosystem for job seekers and employers.

Tennessee is generous in its funding for post-secondary opportunities through Tennessee Promise and Tennessee Re-connect; however, these traditional models are not designed for the adult learner or learners who are not in the traditional linear educational path. Those individuals with financial obligations and families not able to take themselves out of the job market for a prolonged period or to pursue a 12-24 month credential program.

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