When a company says it needs 1,000 new workers, filling openings isn’t the answer. Building a pipeline is. That’s the work South Central Mississippi Works (SCMW), operated by CMPDD, has taken on this quarter under two Governor’s Reserve grants from the Mississippi Department of Employment Security.
One grant develops Registered Apprenticeship programs across our 17-county area. The other designs pre-apprenticeship programs that give high school students and adults a clear way in. Pre-apprenticeship introduces an industry and builds foundational skills; Registered Apprenticeship lets people earn a wage while they learn a trade to a national standard.
A sponsor for small and mid-sized employers
On July 16, 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor certified CMPDD as a Registered Apprenticeship program sponsor (Registration No. 2026-MS142546). As a group sponsor, CMPDD handles program standards, registration and reporting, so employers can offer apprenticeships without building that structure themselves.
Results came quickly. Brown Bottling Group registered under CMPDD’s sponsorship and submitted an Industrial Mechanic program the same day. In August, TIC (The Industrial Company), lead contractor on two regional power plant projects, signed on for five construction occupations: cement mason and concrete finisher, construction craft laborer, structural steel and iron worker, pipefitter, and electrician.
Employers and local governments stepping forward
- Nissan Canton is designing a Mechatronics apprenticeship.
- Entergy is moving forward with a multi-state Process Technology apprenticeship.
- Forde Plumbing and Air is starting with on-the-job training and building toward a registered program in plumbing and electrical.
- Hinds County chose Heavy Equipment Operator as its first public works apprenticeship.
- The City of Vicksburg finalized four occupations (plumber, electrician, heavy equipment operator and water treatment operator), with Hinds Community College teaching the classroom portion. City retirees have offered to come back as mentors.
Five pre-apprenticeships in design
Manufacturers including RTX, Nissan and Continental Tire committed with Hinds Community College and Jackson Public Schools to a NAF Academy model for advanced manufacturing. Siemens Energy, which expects to need roughly 1,000 new workers, won approval from its U.S. headquarters for an apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship with Rankin County and Pearl schools, one day after the first planning meeting. Simpson County is designing a senior-year healthcare pre-apprenticeship, and a regional FAME chapter is in the works.
Employers interested in apprenticeship can contact South Central Mississippi Works through cmpdd.org.
This story first appeared in the October 2026 issue of Central Update, CMPDD’s quarterly newsletter. Find this issue and past editions on our Publications page.