Video: Mississippi’s Economic Development

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STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI)- Mississippians are making things.

The manufacturing industry is turning to our state to grow their businesses.

It’s a slow process, but there is progress.

Right now, just 12 percent of the state’s employment comes from manufacturing.

A lot of people still need jobs, but with planning and training, there is hope that will change.

“Economic development is really thriving here in northeast Mississippi,” said Glenn McCullough Jr., executive director for the Mississippi Development Authority.  “We have the people in northeast Mississippi, and Mississippi is the place, and right now a lot of the resources that enable business to grow and proper is right here in Mississippi.”

McCullough said he knows the reason behind the state’s success.

“Businesses are expanding, Mississippi is a pro business climate, taxes are low, our transportation systems are among the best in the country,” he said.

But certain areas of the state appear to be more desirable than others.

“I think one of the reasons certain parts of the state do well economically is because of the partnership they develop between the public, private, their k-12, their community colleges, their university, and the other work force agencies in the state of Mississippi,” said James Williams, director of the State Workforce Development Board.

However, despite the state’s recent economic boom, Mississippi still has the highest unemployment rate at seven percent.

“The state’s number one issue right now is having to train workforce,” said Williams.

Williams said finding trained employees is the state’s biggest challenge.

“A lot of the people who are unemployed today do not have the necessary skills so we’ve got to get everyone on board and help them get the training they need to get that good job,” said Williams.

McCullough said providing education and leadership at every level is what the state is currently doing to combat this problem.

“We’re providing a pathway for people who today are unemployed, to gain the skills necessary to be successful in the workforce,” said McCullough.

The Delta has the highest unemployment rates.

However, McCullough said that isn’t holding the state back.

In fact, with the new expansion of Milwaukee Tools in Greenwood, Mississippi, he is confident those numbers will soon change.

 

 

Categories: Local News

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