Co-Lin celebrates MIBEST Week

Governor Phil Bryant proclaimed the week of October 15 as “MIBEST Week.” In conjunction with this designation, Co-Lin hosted an event to highlight the Mississippi Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (MIBEST) program, and to recognize students and local business partners for their commitment to the program. 

Co-Lin hosted a MIBEST Employer Forum where students were given the opportunity to learn from a panel of local business/industry professionals about career opportunities and "real life" on the job. The panel included Dusty Smith of Smith's Heating and Cooling; Wanda Charnock and Margaret Glass of KDMC; Clark Calcote of Farmbelt; Jeff Nunnery of Toyota of Brookhaven; Brendan O'Brien of Georgia blue; and Marty Stroud of WalMart.

The MIBEST program enrolls high school dropouts and provides simultaneous enrollment in high school equivalency preparation and postsecondary career and technical education programs that produce workers who can compete for high skilled jobs, get hired, and stay employed. 

The program is a national model that is aligned with the state’s Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) plan. Each community college is offering the program through a $6 million grant the Mississippi Community College Board received from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. 

To date, more than 1,400 students have participated in the program, with 2,879 credentials being earned including 510 students finding employment, 108 students continuing their postsecondary education, and 9 enlisting in the military. 

For more information about MIBEST, please visit www.mibest.ms.