Challenges into strengths: College graduates are ready to enter workforce

MAYHEW, Miss. – (WCBI) For many college graduates, a degree is the next step toward a career.

In just one walk, college students go from graduates to job seekers. And the climate is right.

Recent EMCC graduate, Lilnesia Barron, said, “At first, I was a little scared because it didn’t seem like things were coming along, but so far so good. Plenty of people have called me, I have went in for interviews and so far so great. I’m excited about my future.”

EMCC President Dr. Scott Alsobrooks said if students can handle college during a pandemic, they can handle anything.

“The class of 2021, I told them in my speech, have probably been the most resilient group of students that I’ve dealt with in 25 plus years in higher education. We’re very very proud of the class of 2021,” Dr. Scott Alsobrooks said.

Although COVID-19 created some challenges for students, students believe that those challenges will help them enter the workforce.

“I don’t think I’d be the person I am today without overcoming all the challenges that I did. It was very different going from college to online learning and I think that it really just made me stronger,” recent EMCC graduate, Alexandra Cole, said.

Cole celebrated today with her family. Her future is full of travel and writing and hopefully a job that will combine the accomplishments of the past two years.

Companies across North Mississippi are searching for employees.

Job opportunities are wide open from the restaurant industry to construction to manufacturing.