industry driven: northwest career, technical and workforce education

DRIVENINDUSTRY

NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI COMMUNITY COLLEGE’S CAREER, TECHNICAL AND WORKFORCE EDUCATION MAGAZINE

Pick anAny industry.industry.

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Table of Contents06Programs of Study

Our Career-Technical programs of study leading to Associate of Applied Science degrees and Career Certificates land graduates in jobs spanning any industry you can imagine.

08Leading by Example

Faculty and staff at Northwest have a wealth of industry and teaching experience. The instructors and staff at the helm of CTWE are what make the program truly one-of-a-kind.

14Career Resources

Northwest has a hand in creating and maintaining the highly-skilled workforce the state enjoys today. Find out how Northwest CTWE educates and trains the people of northwest Mississippi from the classroom to the shop floor,

16Feature: Lifecycle of Opportunity

Northwest has a hand in creating and maintaing the highly-skilled workforce the state enjoys today. Find out how Northwest CTWE educates and trains the people of northwest Mississippi from the classroom to the shop floor,

20Workforce Development

The learning never stops with Northwest’s Work-force Development. Read about all the ways we are keeping northwest Mississippi’s job market full of highly qualified workers.

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Table of Contents24ABE/GED

Learn more about the Adult Basic Education and GED classes that can help adult learners get the certificate they need to start their college education on an academic or career-technical path.

26Lifelong Learning: Continuing Ed

Continuing Education at Northwest is for students of all ages looking to earn Continuing Education Units for teacher recertification or to learn a new skill just for fun.

30Feature: Success Starts Here

These Northwest graduates are making the most of their education by making a difference in their pro-fession and their communities. Find out how these graduates are taking the working world by storm.

36WIN/WIA

With services for individuals and area industry, WIN/WIA are in the business of matching good workers with good jobs. Find out what resources can help you make the right connections. Read about job search assistance for displaced workers.

38Feature: Make Success a Family Affair

Who says you can’t mix family and business? Find out how this family of Northwest graduates are running their own successful businesses in very different professions.

41Contacts & Service Map

It’s pretty simple.We put people to

work.

4 INDUSTRY DRIVENwww.northwestms.edu/CTWE

FUTURESSecure

There is no end to the possibilities in store for students who complete their Associate of Applied Science or Career Certificate at Northwest.

WORDS: SARAH SAPP PHOTOS: JUSTIN FORD | JULIE BAUER

Northwest Mississippi Community College makes it possible for anyone from any walk of life to find their path to success. Whether you are starting off by earning

your GED through our Adult Basic Education or finishing your Associate of Applied Science or Career Certificate through Career-Technical Education; whether you are looking for a new career through the WIN Job Center or getting new skills through Workforce Development; whether you are six years old taking Kids Kollege art classes or 60 years old taking basic computers through Continuing Education...Career, Technical and Workforce Education at Northwest has a program to meet your needs.

Bureau of Labor Statistics data show that an ever-increasing percentage of the jobs in the U.S. require some level of postsecondary education or training beyond high school. According to the most recent census data, those jobs accounted for

85% of all jobs in the job market in this country. Only about 20% of those jobs require professional degrees (baccalaureate and above), and that figure has not changed since the 1950s.

More people in the workforce means better living for everyone. With increasing educational attainment, wages increase, the likelihood of unemployment decreases, the likelihood of incarceration decreases, personal health improves. For the community, increased educational attainment means a more attractive climate for business and industry. Tax revenues go up. Thus, the overall quality of life for the individual and for the community in which that individual lives gets better.

So the workforce is ready for you. Are you ready to take advantage of the resources at Northwest to start your own path to success today?

Photo info : Graduates from Welding and Cutting find work in lots of industries, including shipping, automotive, aerospace and manufacturing.

Pick anAny industry.industry.

gricultureutomotiveviation

Aviation Maintenance Technology prepares students for the FAA Mechanic Certificate with Airframe and/or

Powerplant rating(s)—giving them the authority to perform inspections,

minor repairs and alterations to fixed and rotary wing aircraft (24- month Associate of Applied Science).

Prepare for an occupation in the trucking industry with Commercial Truck Driving (8-week course). Get the skills you need to repair vehicle exteriors with Collision Repair (9-month Career Certificate). Learn how to perform basic care maintenance, such as oil changes and tire rotations; diagnose more complex problems; and plan and execute vehicle repairs with Automotive Technology (24-month Associate of Applied Science).

Prepare for livestock and ranch management, including breeding livestock, administering medicine and working with seed, feed and chemical sales in Agricultural Business and Management Technology/Animal Husbandry. Get ready to excel in today’s high-tech, fast-paced field of agricultural mechanization with Agricultural Technology/John Deere Technology, where students learn about diesel engine systems, powertrains, hydraulics, machine setup and adjustment, as well as high-tech AMS electronics, schematics and diagnostics computers (24-month Associate of Applied Science).

usinessGet ready for an exciting career in the world of business. Get the

skills to run an efficient business office, keep financial records accurate, manage technological

resources, code medical records, or develop and design business marketing materials in any one of our business-related majors (24-month Associate of Applied Science).

osmetology

ealth Care

ducationngineering

• Accounting Tech• Business & Marketing

Management Tech• Graphic Design Tech

• Health-care Data Tech• Microcomputer Tech• Office Systems Tech

Prepare to care for hair, nails

and skin with an emphasis on hygiene, sanitation, customer relations and salon management with our Cosmetology program (12-month Career Certificate). The program prepares students to pass the Mississippi Board of Cosmetology practical and

theory licensing examination. Students

receive this preparation through classes and also by actual salon experience through the program’s salon facilities and its clientele.

• Cardiovascular Tech• EMT-Paramedic• EMT-Basic• Respiratory Therapy• Surgical Tech• Practical Nursing• Health Care Assistant

24 months24 months1 semester24 months24 months12 months1 semester

Since 2003, the U.S. health care sector has grown more than 10 times faster than

the rest of the economy, and the trend is projected to continue. Your passion for helping others can lead to a secure and rewarding career through any of our allied health programs:


More parents, schools and governmental bodies are recognizing the importance of an early start for children’s intellectual and social development. Learn about child development, teaching methods and creative play while preparing to work with children in a hands-on learning environment with the Early Childhood Education Technology program (24-month Associate of Applied Science).

Develop solutions for technical problems —from materials and

components to structures and systems. Math and science are

a must in all of our engineering technology programs (24-month

Associate of Applied Science), but the high-demand job prospects are practically endless. From planning roads, bridges, buildings and structures to configuring the electronic circuitry to run an entire manufacturing outfit, our engineering technology majors train to do it all.

nformation TechnologyLooking for a way to begin an exciting career in an expanding industry? Information Systems Technology (24-month Associate of Applied

Science) can help you get started as a computer support specialist or computer systems administrator. The curriculum is designed to give each student a broad overview of information systems, exposure to career options available within the field and a concentration of skills in a specific area, networking or

programming.

awPlay an important role in the legal profession with Paralegal Technology (24-month Associate of Applied Science). Paralegals do a variety

of tasks to support lawyers, including maintaining and organizing files, conducting legal research and drafting documents . They must have incredible organizational and communication skills to excel in the industry. Employment of paralegals and legal assistants is expected to grow by 18 percent from 2010 to 2020.

With over 330,000 industrial jobs added to the economy since

2010, and output growing at the fastest pace since the 1990s, there are always jobs needing filled in the manufacturing and mechanical technology sector. Prepare to analyze specifications, lay out metal stock and set up and operate machine tools to fit and assemble parts for the manufacture and repair of metalworking dies,

cutting tools, fixtures, gauges, and machinist’s hand tools with Precision Manufacturing and Machining Technology (24-month Associate of Applied Science).

Get the skills to construct and repair parts of ships, automobiles, spacecraft and thousands of other

manufactured products with Welding and Cutting. You will learn how to apply heat to the pieces of metal

being joined and fuse them to form a permanent bond (9-month Career Certificate).

Learn theoretical principles and practical applications that affect the control of temperature, humidity

and the quality of air, design, testing, installation and development of heating and cooling systems and knowledge of how to service and repair in both residential and commercial markets with our Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Technology (HVAC)

program (24-month Associate of Applied Science),

echanical Technology

erviceProviding the public

with comfortable accomodations and a great, personalized experience is vital across every aspect of the service industry. From offering a great meal or perfect room to providing families the comfort they need during the loss of a loved one, you will learn how to to put people first and offer service with a smile in:• Hotel and Restaurant Management Technology• Funeral Service Technology(both 24-month Associate of Applied Science)

• Civil Engineering Technology• Drafting and Design Engineering Technology• Industrial Electronics Engineering Technology



With over 1,000 years of combined industry experience, more than 900 years of teaching experience and just over 100 combined industry

certifications, there is one thing Career, Technical and Workforce Education is not hurting for: qualified instructors.

Technology and business environments are constantly changing, and it is critical to have a faculty that is up-to-date on industry trends. Beyond being experienced teachers, our faculty are practiced in their craft and continue their educations alongside their students.

“It is important that our students respect our instructors not just as teachers, but as experienced craftsmen in their chosen field. When our instructors are able to relay their real-world experience as it applies to a lesson they are teaching, it helps the students understand the application of their

BehindSuccess

The people

our students’

The reason our students move seamlessly into the workforce is our faculty have the industry experience, connections and credentials to prepare them for the road ahead.

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WORDS: SARAH SAPP PHOTOS: JUSTIN FORD | JULIE BAUER


classroom experience,” said David Campbell, dean of Career-Technical and Workforce Education. Students learn better when they are taught knowledge within the context of actual experience, rather than abstractly. In fact, many students are more motivated, have higher retention of information and are overall more successful when teachers use this type of contextual teaching and learning in the classroom.

From agriculture and aviation to health care and HVAC, Northwest faculty bring industry-recognized credentials to the classroom, signaling to area employers that Northwest offers high-quality curricula and professional development opportunities for their instructors.

Beyond individual credentials, the college has worked tirelessly to foster partnerships with industries, like John Deere and Chrysler, to give students opportunities to work on tried-and-

true national brands and utilize those brands’ resources to elevate the classroom and hands-on lab experience.

Beyond the classroom and lab settings CTWE students experience at Northwest, they are afforded opportunities to get on-the-job training; improve study habits and test-taking skills; and learn job interview techniques and resume building through our Career Center, CTE Support Services and Work-Based Learning. Experienced staff are always available to help students prepare to succeed in their studies and their job pursuit.

It is important that our students respect our instructors not just as teachers, but as

experienced craftsmen in their chosen field.

1. Photo info : HVAC instructor, Josh Buchanan shows his students how to reassemble an air conditioning unit.

2. Photo info : Cardiovascular Technology instructor Ricky Stevens shows his students how to start a heart catheterization.

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—David Campbell, CTE Dean


FOLLOW THELEADER

3. Photo info : Jeff Covington shows a student how to operate the control panel for the CNC lathe in the Precision Manufacturing and Machining Technology lab.

2. Photo info : Cosmetology instructor Danita Denson commends her students for a job well done.

1. Photo info : Automotive Technology instructor David Yount helps his student diagnose an engine problem.

4. Photo info : Agricultural/John Deere Technology instructor Perkins Johnston goes over the parts of a tractor engine with his students.

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IndustryAgricultureAutomotive & AviationBusinessCosmetologyEducationEngineeringHealth CareInformation TechnologyLawMechanical TechnologyService

No. of Full-timeFaculty

47

14424

182153

Average Industry Experience

9 years13 years15 years27 years12 years

20.5 years19.5 years

17 years25 years

17.5 years21 years

Average TeachingExperience

11.5 years15.5 years22 years17 years

28 years13 years

8.5 years8 years

20 years16 years20 years

CombinedCredentials

81536

784

3001

123

Did you know our faculty have 16 years teaching experience & 18 years industry experience on average?

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An interview is a strategic conversation. Interviews

are opportunities; for employers to meet you, assess your personality, and see how you would fit into the organization; for you to sell yourself to the employers; and for you to learn about the position and to determine if you want to work for that company.

—Shannon Mayo, Career Counselor

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Designed for: Resources:

Get help with:

• Choosing/Changingyourmajor• Interestinventories• Careercounseling• Interviewpreparation• Buildingyourbestresume• Writingacoverletter• Findingjobopportunities

(WBL) Designed to:

• Helpstudentsgainacompetitiveedgewithrealworkexperience; get paid while getting credit hours

• Receivethreesemesterhoursforon-sitework

Requirements:• Enrolledinacareer-technicalprogramandemployedinaparallel

workplace environment for a minimum of 15 hours per week.• Recommendedbyprograminstructorandworkaminimum135

hours per semester, as verified by the Work-Based Learning Coordinator


CTE Support

CareerCounseling

Work-BasedLearning

• economicallydisadvantaged• academicallydisadvantaged• limitedEnglishproficiency• non-traditionalbygenderin

their chosen field• haveadisability• areasingleparent• areadisplacedhomemaker

• instructionalaidsanddevices• remediation• adaptiveequipment• integrationofacademicand

career education• assistancetoovercomeany

other identified barriers to success

Northwest provides services to all CTE students to enable success in their chosen programs of study.

Services

1. Photo info : Senatobia campus Student Support Services Coordinator, Rhonda Still, leads a group workshop on test-taking skills.

2. Photo info : Career Counselor, Shannon Mayo, helps a student identify which classes he should take in the spring to graduate on time.

3. Photo info : Precision Manufacturing and Machining Technology student “Mac” McDonald of Hernando completed his second semester of WBL at Smith and Nephew, Inc. in Memphis while completing his degree.

4. Photo info : WBL Automotive Technology students Amber Noyes, left, and Dylan Misel, right are both currently working as interns in Chrysler dealerships. Yount helps them identify the parts of the new Dodge Dart.

• No spelling or grammatical

errors

• Professional look

• 1-2 Pages in length

• Information is logically recorded

• Titles, dates, etc. should be consistent throughout

the resume

• Bullet point accomplishments

• Quantify when possible

The Resume is• FirstImpressionofyouasanindividual

• Anopportunitytopromoteyourself

• Aformalsummaryofyoureducation,experiences,andskills

• Professionaldocumentthatdemonstratesyourabilitytoarticulateyourself

in a concise manner

Resume Checklist

• Dress appropriately (see right graphics)

• Arrive 10 minutes early

• Speak respectfully to everyone you encounter

• Watch body language

• Back up your responses with examples when possible

• Be honest

• Ask questions at appropriate time

• Do your research before you go

• Clean up your Facebook page, Twitter, Instagram, etc.

• Maintain a positive and confident attitude

• Show enthusiasm and passion about the position

• Promote your strengths and sell yourself

Interview Do’s• Make negative comments about previous

employer

• Falsify your information

• Be unprepared

• Chew gum

• Overdo cologne or perfume

• Bring your cell phone

• Wear excessive jewelry

• Bring your child/ parent/ friend

• Make a fashion statement

• Sit until asked to sit

• Eat or drink a lot before your interview

• Forget you have eyes on you from the time

you pull up to the time you leave

Interview Don’ts

What are employers looking for?• Team-oriented

• Decision making and problem

solving skills

• Written and verbal communication

skills

• Interpersonal skills

• Motivation and Initiative

• Computer skills

• Flexibility

• Dependability

Sample Interview Questions• Can you tell me about yourself?

• Give an example of a time when you worked under pressure.

• What skills do you feel are necessary to work in this field?

• Discuss a difficult situation with a supervisor, and how you handled it.

• Tell me why you are the best person for this position.

What do I wear to an interview?


Career CenterBeverly Brewer Stark

WORDS: SHANNON MAYO PHOTOS:JUSTIN FORD | JULIE BAUER

Need help choosing a major or career that is right for you? The Career Center offers plenty of resources to help you make the best decisions about your future, including these tips for making the best impressions with potential employers.

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1. Photo info : Story time is everyone’s favorite time in the Early Child-hood Education Tech program.

2. Photo info : EMT-Paramedic program Instructor Dave Kuchta moni-tors his students as they work on a “patient” in the lab.

3. Photo info : Automotive Tech students get to work on “live” jobs, like this engine repair.

4. Photo info : Aviation Maintenance Tech students can perform inspec-tions, repairs and alterations to fixed and rotary wing aircraft.

5. Photo info : Civil Engineering Tech students learn to use surveying tools in the field.

6. Photo info : Respiratory Therapy program students learn their skills in the lab but get actual clinical experience at area hospitals.

7. Photo info : Graphic Design Tech program students get hands-on experience with industry-standard computers and software.

ADVENTURECHOOSE YOUR OWN

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We can help.

LifecycleWorkforce

The

of

When the forces of Workforce Investment Act (WIA) internships, Work-Based Learning, Career-Technical classes and Workforce Development combine, the learning and earning never stop.

WORDS: LAJUAN TALLO PHOTOS: SARAH SAPP

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1. Photo info : Carlisle Syntec Plant Manager, Burke Nichols (right), welcomes Northwest graduate Brad Bross aboard his team.

2. Photo info : Bross takes advantage of an advanced (PLC) course through Northwest’s Workforce Development to enhance his shop floor capabilities at Carlisle Syntec.

workplace environment for a minimum of 15 hours per week. Students are able to earn three credit hours per semester by working a total number of 135 hours throughout the semester. “I felt very prepared when I came here,” Bross said about his transition to Carlisle Syntec.

Bross was concurrently a participant in the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Adult Internship program through Northwest and the Mississippi Partnership Local Workforce Area. WIA paid his wages at Carlisle Syntec for 320 hours. Once the 320 hours allowed by the program were exhausted, Carlisle hired him and fellow IEET graduate Jonathan Carlisle. Both graduates are still with Carlisle Syntec and are looking to move on to a bachelor’s degree. Both Bross and Carlisle are currently taking an advanced PLC course through Northwest’s Workforce

PROV

IDE

| EDUCATE | TRAIN | REPEAT

| PROVIDE | EDUCATE | TRAIN | RE

PEAT

|

It was by mere chance that Brad Bross of Senatobia ended up in the In-

dustrial Electronics En-gineering Technology (IEET) program at North-west. He had come to Northwest first as a pre-dental major and then switched to pre-architecture.

“I knew absolutely nothing about electrical or any of this stuff. I never cared about mechanics or anything like that, and just by chance I took a tour of the program,” Bross said. A friend called Bross one day and asked him to go with him to look at the Industrial Electronics program, because he did not want to go alone. “So, I just walked over with my friend, and Mr. Jerry Clark was just kind of explaining what you learn, and it just blew me away,” Bross said. He decided to change his major and start the program right then.

Clark and Jim Creecy are the instructors for the IEET program. Students who successfully complete the program can earn an Associate of Applied Science. The program is designed to prepare graduates for a career in the installation, maintenance, testing and repair of industrial electrical and electronic equipment and instrumentation by introducing the fundamentals of electricity, electronics, digital techniques, electrical power distribution, motor controls, fluid systems controls, programmable logic controllers (PLC) and instrumentation.

Bross graduated with his Associate of Applied Science degree in December 2012. He found his experience at Northwest to be tough, but challenging. “It was a really good place to start. They don’t spoon feed you anything, so the course is kind of designed to weed out anyone that’s not cut out for it,” Bross said.

When Bross was in his third semester at Northwest, he was sent to Carlisle Syntec—a single-ply roofing plant in Senatobia—to participate in work-based learning, which is a program designed for students enrolled in a career or technical program and employed in a parallel



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Development training program.“We have had a real good relationship with

Northwest. They have been very beneficial to us,” Burke Nichols, plant manager at Carlisle Syntec said. He said that the courses that are taught in the IEET program and in the workforce training programs have brought up the skill levels of their employees. “An important area that Northwest has helped us with is our maintenance employees. They have been through hydraulics and pneumatics courses and we have even had people go through and learn other skills through Northwest, such as PowerPoint, Excel and other computer programs. They have also had some leadership classes. Those are very beneficial things for us,” Nichols said.

Nichols said that even if the company doesn’t have a permanent job for Northwest students who participate in work based learning, those students can still find a good job because of the education they have received and the experience they get while working there. “We can utilize their expertise and knowledge and give them some industrial-based practical experience,” Nichols said. He said the company plans to continue to have interns from Northwest’s program.

Northwest’s partnership with Carlisle Syntec has grown and includes hiring career and technical program interns through work based learning as well as workforce training. “The people that are involved know the skill level of the people that are

1. Photo info : IEET and Workforce Development instructor, Jerry Clark (right), goes over the PLC formulas needed for the day’s lesson with Bross (left) and Jonathan Carlisle. Carlisle graduated from Northwest’s IEET program and joined the Carlisle Syntec team a year before Bross.

2. Photo info : Carlisle (left) looks on as Bross puts the finishing touches on a controller set up.

I felt very prepared when I came here.—Brad Bross, CTE Graduate on joining Carlisle Syntec after graduation

in the classes. They understand their students, and see what kind of work ethic they have coming to class, and they know how that will translate into the workplace. Also, the teachers know enough about our operations and about us and they have visited us and we’ve worked together long enough that they know what we need. That’s really the key, making sure that it fits overall in what we need. It’s always a question of how they will fit with us, but we know that they will have the right skills and the right work ethic,” Nichols said.


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DevelopmentWorkforce

WORDS: SARAH SAPP PHOTOS: BRITTANY GREER | JUSTIN FORD

From computer basics to advanced manufacturing, Northwest Workforce Development trains the people of northwest Mississippi for jobs in today’s highly skilled workforce.

Does your company want to maximize em-ployee performance, promote from within, develop new capabilities, minimize lost work time, reduce recruiting costs, train for

specific skills, retain valuable employees, increase earning potential, go green, improve safety or utilize new technology?

Northwest provides superior Workforce De-velopment training by dedicated and experienced instructors in technology-rich facilities with flexible scheduling options and custom-built course mod-ules designed to ensure your employees get the most out of their learning experience. Our mission is to promote and facilitate effective training pro-grams that will bridge the gap between the skills of the available labor pool and the performance needs of area employers. Our program promotes economic development by providing individuals, businesses, industries and the public sector the course work needed to stay competitive in an evolving business

1. Photo info : Curtis Williams of Coldwater (left) and Noah Billingsley of Senatobia participate in the manufacturing basic skills course. Neither could find work prior to completing the course, but after gaining the necessary basic skills this class offered, both found employment at Soladigm, a developer of next-generation green building solutions designed to improve energy efficiency.

2. Photo info : Workforce Development instructors, Stacy Scott (right) and Nolen Kelly (left), get a lesson from Lab Volt trainer Chris Estes on how to use the newest addition to their laboratory. This fluid-based pro-cess controll system is used to train on the various ways of measuring fluid pressure, fluid flow, fluid level and fluid temperatures —valuable skills in advanced manufacturing environments.

3. Photo info : Stacy Cathey of Senatobia participates in lean manufacturing simulation in a manufacturing basic skills class.

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and industrial landscape.In 2012-13, the program served 5,582 area

residents who completed 590,511 training hours. This includes training delivered by Northwest and training delivered by companies and supported by Workforce.

The ultimate goal of the workforce program is to develop a seamless workforce training system that ensures the presence of a highly skilled work-force, thereby advancing the economic prosperity of the region by supporting existing industries as well as creating new high-skill and high-wage job opportunities.

Northwest continues to be a state leader in issuing the Career Readiness Certificate (CRC), an ACT WorkKeys Job Skills assessment credential that substantiates to employers that an indi-vidual has the basic work place skills needed in the job market. Currently, many existing and new companies within the service area require or give

preference to individuals seeking employment who have attained the CRC. Registration for the CRC as-sessment is completed through the WIN Job Center, and the test is administered at five area sites.

Northwest continues to offer Manufacturing Basic Skills training. This program teaches the basic skills necessary to successfully hold a “shop floor” position in a high-performance manufacturing industry. Many new and expanding companies in our district’s growing manufacturing sector recruit from this program to fill the need for skilled labor.

Northwest added new equipment in the spring to expand workforce course offerings in the areas of advanced manufacturing and industrial main-tenance. Funds were provided through a federal Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training grant and state advanced technology funds. Equipment includes industrial process control/instrumentation, advanced PLC net-working, industrial wiring, mechanical and welding.

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Did you know 13,000 Mississippians with bachelor’s degrees attend community colleges for occupational skills development each year?

Did you know the average yearly wage gains after workforce training is $3660?


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2. Photo info : LED assembly is a component of the manufacturing basic skills class available through Workforce Development.

1. Photo info : Workforce Development offers classes in fluid-based process control systems.

3. Photo info : Industrial mechanical skills training includes lessons on safety; mechanical drive systems; gaskets and seals; and clutches and brakes

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Workforce in 2012-2013 • 61projects• $1,574,339inWorkforceprojects

(4th most in state)• 9,434duplicatedparticipants• 590,511contacthours• Governor’sCareerReadiness

Certificates – 1,257 (2nd most in state)

• Workforceworkedwithareaeconomic developers on nine prospective industry visits


Manufacturing

Health/Safety

OSHA

Soft Skills

• Industrialmechanicalskillstraining• Industrialhydraulics/pneumatics• Industrialelectricaltraining• PLC500training• Basicprocesscontrol/instrumentation• Introtoairconditioningforindustry• CompactLogix/RSLogix5000• Weldingtraining• Roboticstraining• Precisionmanufacturingandmachining• Manufacturingbasicskills• OSHAgeneralindustrysafety

Advanced

MaintenanceIndustrial

Compliance

• Firstaid/CPR/AED• Introductiontodesignandimplementationof

health and safety programs• OSHA30-hourgeneralindustryoutreachtraining• OSHA10-hourgeneralindustryoutreachtraining• Awarenesstraining(Bloodbornepathogens,

lockout/tagout, safe lifting, HazCom, confined space, etc.)

• Poweredindustriallifttruck:operatorsafetyandcertification/train-the-trainer

• Materialhandling:hoist/crane/riggingtraining• Hazardousmaterialstraining

• Team-orientedproblem-solving• Vitallearningsupervisory/leadershipseries• Vitallearningcustomerserviceseries• Achieveglobalcustomerserviceseries• Computertraining• Qualityconcepts• Leanmanufacturing

Assessment • CareerReadinessCertificate• Readingforinformation• Appliedmathematics• Locatinginformation

• WorkKeysJobSkillsassessment• JobP.A.S.S.

• Physicalassessmentandskillssimulation• Jobprofiling

& CareerReadiness


EducationEveryone deserves an

For students of all ages looking to complete their high-school equivalency, Northwest offers ABE/GED.

Adult Basic Education (ABE) at Northwest provides instruction in the skill areas of reading, writing, arithmetic, employment skills and basic science and social studies

for adult learners working to receive a certificate of high school equivalence, the legal equivalent of a high school diploma.

Classes feature individualized and group in-struction. Many classes use computer-assisted learning. Instruction is conducted in schools, indus-tries and other varied community sites.

Services are available for all persons who do not fall under the compulsory school attendance law, in regards to age, and who are no longer en-rolled in school; business/industrial employees and community residents; and teacher aides.

WORDS: SARAH SAPP PHOTOS: LAJUAN TALLO

Education is a human right with immense power to transform. On its foundation rest the cornerstones of freedom, democracy and sustainable human development.

We provide:• Paid instructors• Material for class at no cost to student• Practice for taking the GED test• Individualized lessons to meet student

needs• Confidential assessment and counseling

with student about progress• Preparation and testing for teacher aide

certification• Beginning and Intermediate ABE• Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced

English as a Second Language (ESL)

In addition to preparation for the GED, Northwest’s ABE also offers test preparation for entrance exams into Career-Technical programs like:• EMT-Paramedic• Cosmetology• Practical Nursing

Small group instruction is available in the following areas:• English • Reading Comprehension• Math• Test preparation to:

• improve scores on the TABE test• improve scores on the TEAS test• improve scores on the ACT test

—Kofi Annan

1. Photo info : ABE instructor Jim Brown assists Rolandas Nolen with a mathematics problem in the ABE/GED classroom.


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ADULT Basic EducationGED

Get the classes you need to start the future you deserve.

Northwest’s program of adult basic education provides the opportunity for persons age 18 or over within the district to receive basic skills education through the high school level. Adult students are also able to acquire basic education skills, or work to receive a certificate of high school equivalence, the legal equivalent of a high school diploma.

During the 2012-2013 school year the Adult Basic Education (ABE) /GED program served 1,584 students, while 1,214 students took the GED exam and 637 passed it, receiving GED certificates.

ABE has 26 classes at 14 locations throughout the district. There are 12 full-time instructors, 12 part-time instructors and six volunteer instructors. ABE partners with the DeSoto and Tate County Literacy Councils to help meet the literacy educa-tion needs of the local community. GED testing is provided to the Senatobia Municipal and Tate County School Districts at the Optional Learning Center (OLC) campus in Senatobia. ABE also does

the testing for alternative programs in Benton, Marshall, Panola, Tate, DeSoto, Lafayette and Yalo-busha counties.

Northwest offers the Career Readiness Certificate (CRC), which is a credential based upon the ACT WorkKeys assessment that substantiates to employers that an individual possesses the basic workplace skills that are required for today’s jobs.

The CRC assess-ment is given at five lo-cations in Northwest’s 11-county district, including Senatobia, Batesville, Oxford, Holly Springs and Southaven. The CRC fo-cuses on three targeted skills: reading for informa-tion, applied mathematics and locating information. The center issued 1,440 CRC certificates last year, and gave 1,784 exams, for an 81 percent pass rate.


Children

All Ages

For

of

From middle schoolers searching for buried treasure using GPS technology to retirees learning ceramics, Continuing Education at Northwest offers a wealth of classes for lifetime learners everywhere.

WORDS: LAJUAN TALLO PHOTOS: JUSTIN FORD | LAJUAN TALLO

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Northwest’s Continuing Education Division offers a variety of classes and programs throughout the year for ages 6 to 80.

Professional Development Courses: Continuing Education courses, workshops or seminars for professional or staff development are designed to fit specific needs such as recertification for teachers. Participants receive credit for these courses in the form of Continuing Education Units (CEUs). CEUs give recognition and provide a record of completion in a course, workshop or seminar which meets the appropriate criteria.

Continuing Education/Lifelong Learning: We recognize that adults are still eager to learn and desire intellectual stimulation. We seek to provide an opportunity for community members to keep their minds active and meet other people. A wide variety of non-credit courses are designed

1. Photo info : Students search for items during “Treasure Hunting: Geocaching” during this year’s Kids Kollege. Children learned to use global positioning systems (GPS) to find treasure.

2. Photo info : Pottery is always a popular Continuing Education class.

3. Photo info : Area teachers take advantage of a Microsoft Word class to earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs).

2 to afford adults an opportunity to learn in a less formal setting. A minimum enrollment is required and there is a cost for each course.

Reading Roundtable: Over the course of the semester, participants will read and discuss a variety of books addressing a theme of commonality. There is no charge other than the cost of the books.

ACT Workshops: These programs provide an overview of the ACT format, review of verbal and math fundamentals and time management and test-taking strategies. The class is offered to 30 students and is open to the entire 11-county district.

ServSafe Certification: These seminars help all participants increase awareness of food safety issues. The ServSafe examination has been nationally recognized by the Conference for Food Protection (CFP).

2012-13 Continuing Education enrollment6092012 Summer Kids Kollege enrollment74

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EDUCATION

FOR FUN

Continuing

For CEUs or just

For teacher recertification or just because you have always wanted to learn how to knit/make pottery/be a better photographer/upholster/stain glass/you name it...

PHOTOS: LAJUAN TALLO | JUSTIN FORD

1. Photo info : Cake decoratin is always a popular non-credit class every spring.

2. Photo info : Kids Kollege art camp gives youngsters an opportunity to stretch their creative muscles and create beautiful pottery and paintings.

3. Photo info : Upholstery class teaches area residents how to spruce up their furniture or repurpose great thrift store finds.

4. Photo info : Digital Photography (for CEU) teaches students how to improve their digital photos using the latest version of Photoshop.

5. Photo info : Beginner and intermediate knitting is available.1

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Continuing Education classes are offered in the fall, spring and summer course modules.

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CEU Courses include:• Spanish for Educators• Elementary (K-5) Writing Workshop for ELA

Common Core• Elementary (K-5) Reading Workshop for

ELA Common Core• Basic or Advanced Computers• Microsoft Excel• American Sign Language• Microsoft Word• Digital Photography & Photoshop

Elements • CPR Heart Saver and AED with First Aid• Bullying in the Classroom

Non-CEU Courses include:• Pottery• Stained glass• Warm glass for cool people• Floral arrangements• Cake decorating• Upholstery• Knitting (beginning and intermediate)• Quilting• Tennis• Paint your own pottery• Ceramics• Boater safety• Hunter safety

Kids Kollege courses include:• Hunter safety• Art camp• Science camp• Tennis• Trips to Memphis

(IMAX and Pink Palace)• Trip to Cedar Hill Farms• Trip to Viking Cooking School


1. Photo info : Agricultural/John Deere Technology graduate Sean Stubbs is now a product support specialist for John Deere—one of the 100 Best Global Brands— for Wade, Inc. in Clarksdale.

2. Photo info : Once a truck driver, Richard Deener is now the second Hershey Apprentice in his second semester of the Industrial Electronics Engineering Technology program where the Hershey-Memphis plant pays his tuition and he gets hands-on experience.

3. Photo info : Jacob Red (left), Information Systems Technology pro-gram graduate, is now the network administrator at Senatobia Municipal School District. He brought on another Northwest IT graduate, Karmen Bly (right), to assist him as his workload grew.

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NorthwestSuccess starts at

WORDS: LAJUAN TALLO PHOTOS: JUSTIN FORD | SARAH SAPP | LAJUAN TALLO

T here is one thing all Northwest Career-Technical graduates have in common: they are equipped with the skills to go as far as they want in their field. Take these success

stories for instance.Sean Stubbs had no experience with tractors

or farming before he came to Northwest to study Agricultural Technology in the John Deere program. “I liked to work on cars, and was not sure where I wanted to go or what I wanted to do,” Stubbs said. A friend knew someone who was actually a service manager for the John Deere program in Stubbs’ hometown of Clarksdale. “He told me about the ag tech program at Northwest. It still wasn’t a huge program then. It was on the rise, so I decided to try it out and ended up liking it and doing that,” Stubbs said. Stubbs graduated from Northwest in 2004 with an Associate of Applied Science in Agricultural Technology.

One of the admission requirements of the John Deere Technology program is sponsorship by a qual-ified John Deere dealership. Stubbs was sponsored by Wade, Inc. in Clarksdale, and he interned there while at Northwest. “The actual classes at school

give you a lot of the basics, but being here on in-ternship and working with the technicians – that’s where the experience comes in,” Stubbs said.

After graduation, Stubbs was hired by Wade, Inc. as a technician in the shop, and with classes he took through John Deere, he worked his way up to master level technician. When one of the in-structors who taught in the Pro Tech program left, Stubbs interviewed and got the job. Since that time, he has returned to work full time at Wade, Inc. as a product support specialist.

His experience at Northwest was very positive. Stubbs has a great deal of respect for the instruc-tors in the John Deere Tech program at Northwest. “The instructors in the program are wonderful people. They are easy to work with and are there for you. Even after I left the program, I was always quick to call them and ask them questions, and now I’m to the point where they even call me and ask me questions. I’ve kept in touch with them ever since I left. The people that teach in that program are just great,” Stubbs said.

Stubbs has advice for students who might be considering the John Deere program at Northwest.

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Some of the most successful people you meet got their start at a community college. These success stories are just a few examples of how Northwest graduates make an enormous impact in their community and have the career and future they always wanted.


Internships and Work-based Learning give students the hands-on experience they need to land a job after graduation.

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1. Photo info : Red and Bly examine the networking connections at Senatobia High School.

2. Photo info : IEET instructor Jerry Clark demonstrates an electrical system for Deener before class begins.

He spent 10 years working in the shop before mov-ing up into the job he has now. “You have to have a ‘want to’ attitude. You have to want to get into a shop and work, and you can’t come in expecting that you’re going to work in the shop for two years and then have an office job. You have to put in your time, and be able to do a little hard work. Hard work will pay off in the end,” Stubbs said. He also spoke about relationship building with customers. “Most of these dealerships are in small towns, so you see people outside of work. You need to be personable and able to talk to the customers. You must pres-ent yourself well and it will represent your company well,” Stubbs said.

The biggest change Stubbs sees in the field over the past 10 years is in technology. “With things like auto track, the tractors actually steer them-selves using GPS guidance. We have more comput-ers and more controllers on a tractor than we do on a space shuttle,” Stubbs said.

His dealership and the 10 other Wade dealer-ships sponsor a lot of Northwest students and hope to sponsor even more. “Our goal is to have an entire class of Wade, Inc. guys,” Stubbs said.

When Jacob Red of Strayhorn was a stu-dent in Temple Allen’s computer net-working class at Northwest, he par-ticipated in an internship that would

eventually take him to his career. He and his class did a networking project for Tate County Schools, which he says was invaluable to him. “When I got out of Northwest, I stayed in touch with the techni-cal coordinator from the project, and a year after that, he hired me to work part time, and eventually it became a full time position,” Red said. He is now the network administrator at Senatobia Municipal School District.

One of the things Allen stresses in her classes is hands-on training, according to Red. “It is really one of the biggest things. We run across people all the time, even with certifications, who have the ‘book sense’ and know the technical side of it, but when it comes to sitting down and troubleshooting, and using critical thinking skills, that’s when you really start to see who really gets it and who just memorized test questions,” Red said.

He credits Northwest with really giving him the tools he needed for his career. “Basically, you get to stay pretty much in your home area and get top-notch training. The teachers actually take time to teach you. You get a lot of one-on-one time at Northwest,” Red said. “We basically built servers from scratch and had a programming side. She ac-tually had us look at real world examples or real problems and come up with a program to solve the problem.”

Red’s connection with Northwest actually took “networking” in another direction. When the techni-cal coordinator at the school district hurt his back, they needed an extra person to help. Red contact-ed Allen to see if she had a suggestion, and she recommended Karmen Bly, a 2008 graduate of the program. “She and my sister used to be really good friends and I had lost touch with her. Mrs. Allen rec-ommended her, and we brought her on. I believe she has been with us for about two years now and it has worked out well,” Red said.

The Information Systems Technology major at


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Northwest has two options, computer programming and computer networking, and includes a basic core of courses designed to prepare the student for a variety of entry-level positions. The curriculum is designed to give each student a broad overview of information systems, exposure to career options available within the field and a concentration of skills in a specific area. Students who complete the program will earn an Associate of Applied Science degree. Many, if not most students will actually complete degrees in both options.

Driving a truck between Memphis and Bir-mingham everyday can take up a lot of time. For Richard Deener of Nesbit, it was like driving on a road to nowhere. “I want-

ed something with a future that I could grow in. I was looking for programs dealing with electronics, which I have always loved,” Deener said.

Deener had dropped out of school at a young age to help his mother. “It really bothered me to have dropped out, so a year later I got my GED and was just working,” Deener said. He worked in fast food, and then went into truck driving to support himself and his wife. He was working in electronics as a hobby, building computers in his spare time, and troubleshooting for friends and coworkers. “You can only go so far without really knowing any theo-ry behind anything,” he added.

He did a great deal of research into local

programs and decided on Northwest’s Industrial Electronics Engineering Technology program. “The program here is not just dealing with electronics. It combines motor control, PLC and mechanics. I knew it was the program for me,” Deener said.

His first semesters were a really trying experi-ence. “I was working 10 hours a day driving a truck and going to school, living on one or two hours of sleep a night. It was only God that saw me through that,” Deener said. His wife had a lot to do with it too. “I never had time to study when I used to drive from Memphis to Birmingham every day, so my wife would be on the phone reading my book to me and ask everything in question form. She helped me out a lot,” Deener said. On his Saturdays and Sundays off, he studied from sun up to sun down. “I was able to get a 4.0 GPA because of that,” he said.

This semester, he landed a paid internship through Northwest’s work-based learning program with Hershey Inc., Memphis plant. “This apprentice-ship at Hershey saved my life. I’m so happy,” Deener said.

“For so many years I thought about going to college and doing something better for my life. I thought I couldn’t afford it, and that I could never find the time because I was working. If you really want something, you have to make time. It’s so af-fordable here, if I had to pay for it out of my pocket, I would, “ Deener said.


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William Michael Woolfolk of Senatobia is no stranger to hard work. By the time he came to Northwest to study practi-cal nursing, the young married father

of two had managed a McDonald’s and a conve-nience store. “I was on my own at an early age. I always wanted to go into something I enjoyed, but mostly something where I was making some kind of difference,” Woolfolk said.

Woolfolk grew up in Senatobia and was raised by his great-grandparents. When they passed away, he was taken out of the school system and put into a state home in Meridian. He earned his GED there. He came back to Senatobia to pursue his education in practical nursing. With two small children, he had to rely on his wife’s support in order to get through the program. “We have two small children, ages two and three. It was very difficult with them in daycare, but she supported me all the way through,” Wool-folk said. He continued working at the beginning of nursing school, but when he got into the Medical-Surgical classes, he felt it was becoming more dif-ficult to balance the two, and opted to stop working and focus solely on school.

Practical Nursing programs are offered at

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1. Photo info : Practical Nursing instructor Jennifer Lance shows Michael Woolfolk how to check a pulse.

2. Photo info : Precision Manufacturing and Machining Technology graduate, Jonathan Johns (third from left), helps his staff at Magnolia Tooling prep for a job.

Did you know a graduate with an Associate of Applied Science makes on average $6,166 more and those with career certificates make $2,244 more their first year after graduation than a graduate with a bachelor’s degree?

Northwest on the Senatobia campus, at the DeSoto Center and the Lafayette–Yalobusha Technical Cen-ter, and on the Ashland campus. The three-semes-ter program prepares the individual to assist in providing general nursing care requiring knowledge of the biological, physical, behavioral, psychological and sociological sciences, and nursing procedures. The program consists of 455 hours of classroom lectures, 180 hours of laboratory simulation and 345 hours of clinical training. Practical nurses can be employed in all areas of nursing except critical care areas and must practice under the direct supervi-sion of a physician or registered nurse. Students who complete the program requirements will be eligible to apply for licensed practical nursing (LPN) licensure, by taking the National Council License Ex-amination (NCLEX-PN).

Woolfolk says he had a great experience at nursing school. “We had great instructors who re-ally cared for us and went out of their way to try to help us. It’s a lot of hard work, but there are jobs out there. I took the NCLEX and two weeks later, I had a job,” Woolfolk said. He currently works at a long-term care facility in Southaven. “I felt like I was very prepared when I came to my job. Being able to work closely with nurses in clinical settings during school really prepared me well, I think,” Wool-folk said.

His future plans are to come back to North-west to earn his associate degree in Nursing and become a registered nurse. He plans to take his pre-requisites online while still working full time and when he is accepted into the nursing program, he will adjust his work schedule accordingly. North-west is currently working on the implementation of an LPN to RN bridge program, contingent on ap-proval of the accrediting agencies involved.

Woolfolk’s philosophy of nursing is simple, yet profound. “A nurse needs to remember to look at each patient as a person, as if it were their mom or their child. Ask yourself how would you want your spouse to be treated by someone. A lot of times we just get into a routine and we don’t look at the person, just the disease. We have to treat both, and treat people how we would want to be treated,” Woolfolk said.

Jonathan Johns of Batesville has come full circle with Northwest. After graduating from South Panola High School in 1989, he came to Northwest and studied welding for a year and

then decided to pursue a degree in Precision Manu-facturing and Machining Technology, which was then called Tool and Die.

Johns graduated in 1991 and worked in a local tool and die shop for seven years. He moved up to shop foreman for the last two years, learning the business side as well. After leaving there he began

his own company, Magnolia Tooling, LLC, in Septem-ber of 1998. Today, he has a staff of seven employ-ees, four of whom are Northwest graduates.

The company serves vendors for the automo-tive industry and other assembly line companies by making tools and dies for them to use in their man-ufacturing. “We make lots of small tooling, precision gigs and fixtures for our customers. We meet any need they may have as far as specialized machining goes,” Johns said. They work for industries all over the country and in Mexico. Since most of the parts they make are small, they can be shipped anywhere easily.

Even though Johns started in welding, he de-cided that precision manufacturing and machining would fit into his lifestyle better. “With welding, I realized I would have to travel to do my jobs, and I decided that wasn’t for me. This is much less physi-cal on your body and your eyes. If you learn this trade, you can get a job anywhere,” Johns said.

Johns finds that a lot of his customers come through word of mouth and knows if they do good work, on time, they have and will have plenty of return customers and referrals. He likes that he and his staff get to work on different things every day. “You know you get to make this part today, this one tomorrow, and two weeks from now you might make that again, but it’s not boring repeti-tious work,” Johns said.

He says he looks for employees with good work ethics, who care about their work and who come to work on time. His stepson, Britt Griffin, and his cousin Stephen Jenkins worked for him through the work-based learning program at Northwest, and now both are on his staff. The Northwest graduate is now hiring other Northwest graduates to help him grow his business.


TO PUTCONNECTIONS

PEOPLE TO

WIN/WIA HAS

WORDS: JULIE BAUER PHOTOS: SARAH SAPP | JULIE BAUER

WORK

Services to Individuals• Job search assistance and career advice

and planning• Career resources such as books, area

newspapers, job listings and a variety of labor market information

• Computers with internet access, telephones, fax machines and copiers for conducting a job search

• Information on interviewing• Information on training and education• Information on assistance for laid-off

workers• Unemployment insurance and benefits• Information on NAFTA/TAA benefits for

employees• Services for veterans• Information on rehabilitation services• Information on referral to child care,

transportation and other supportive services

• Clerical skill testing on a wide variety of subjects

• Career assessments• Resume and cover letter development

Services to Businesses• Basic labor exchange services• Database of qualified workers• Internet access to post job listings and

review resumes• Recruiting and screening of job candidates• Assistance with writing job descriptions• Proficiency testing for employees• Private rooms for interviews• Labor market and wage information• Information on Work Opportunity Tax

Credits (WOTC)• Information for Rapid Response services• Guidance for filing a North America

Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) or Trade Adjustment (TAA) petition

• Information on NAFTA and TAA benefits for employees

Looking for employment? Look no further than your nearest WIN Job Center.

2012-13 WIN/WIA core, intensive and training services4822012-13 Out-of-School Youth program, Counseling to Career (C2C)112


Northwest is the One-Stop Operator of the Workforce Investment Network (WIN) Job Centers located in Oxford, Senatobia and Southaven. Funding for the operations and

services offered by our WIN Job Centers comes from The Mississippi Partnership local workforce invest-ment board. Three Rivers Planning and Development District, Inc. serves as the fiscal/administrative agent for The Mississippi Partnership, which is one of four workforce investment areas in Mississippi designated to carry out the Workforce Investment Act of 1998.

The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) offers many services to the unemployed and under-em-ployed. The three WIN Job Centers in the college’s district serve individuals seeking employment and/or training opportunities through an array of services designed to benefit both employers and job seekers.

Job seekers may qualify for tuition assistance to upgrade skills or learn a new skill through an Individual Training Account (ITA). They may also utilize other services offered through the WIN Job Center and the college, such as job referrals, paid internships, resource rooms—complete with tele-phones, fax machines and computers with Internet access for job searching— career and aptitude as-sessments, employability skills training, resume as-sistance, free basic computer classes and access to educational advisers and career counselors.

The WIN Job Center offers employers a data-

base of qualified workers, recruiting and screening of job candidates, applicant testing/assessments, private rooms for interviewing, on-the-job training assistance and information on services offered through other non-WIA agencies.

In 2012-2013, the Northwest WIA program served 482 individuals through core, intensive and training services. Additionally, the WIA Out-of-School Youth program, known as Counseling to Career (C2C), assisted 112 youth participants in Calhoun, DeSoto, Lafayette, and Tate counties with acquiring a GED, increasing basic skills deficiencies, job search skills training, work ethics training, paid work experience and/or securing employment.

1. Photo info : WIA Counselor Cathy Moore (right) helps respira-tory therapy major Chelsa Davis of Southaven sign up for WIA assistance with tuition for her last two semesters of school.

2. Photo info : Dislocated Worker Specialist David Kellum (left) counsels Robert Brannon of Abbeville at the Oxford WIN llocations

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FAMILYKeep it in the

Giving new meaning to “the Northwest family,” this mother, father, daughter and son—a whole family of Northwest graduates—are now running their own businesses and living the lives they always wanted.

WORDS: LAJUAN TALLO PHOTOS: JUSTIN FORD

At Northwest, family is a big deal. There are countless stories of whole families who have attended and earned certificates and degrees throughout the college’s history. The Blair family of Independence has taken their Northwest experience a step further. By using what they learned at Northwest, the father and son now run a small HVAC business together, and the mother and daughter own and operate their own salon.

The Blair men, Gregg and his son Chad, both Northwest graduates, own and operate GNC Minor Home Repair and Maintenance. The two men studied Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Technology at Northwest at the same time, graduating in 2007. At that time, the program was a certificate program. Today you can earn an

Associate of Applied Science upon completion of the program.

“My dad was going through it at night, and I was taking my classes during the day,” Chad said. He and his dad would talk about their classes. “For me, it was like ‘Chad, don’t let your dad outdo you on the grades,’” Gregg said.

Gregg graduated from high school and went straight to work at a trucking company doing maintenance. After that company closed, he worked for Snap-On Tools, supervising the delivery and maintenance departments. “I was working 80 hours a week. I thought if I was going to do that, I might as well work for myself,” Gregg said. He got a job with the Tate County Schools as a maintenance worker and was promoted later to supervisor. “I had

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done maintenance work all my life, but heating and air conditioning was something I was not familiar with. Northwest had the night program, so it was easy for me to work during the day and go there at night,” Gregg said.

Chad credits his dad for his technical skills and his knowledge of maintenance work. His dad started his business when Chad was 14 years old. After Chad completed the program in 2007, he got a job at Tri Star in Batesville, a commercial and industrial heating, ventilation and air conditioning company. After a few years, he came to Northwest to work on the Physical Plant staff. Today, in addition to working at Northwest and with his dad, he is continuing his studies to earn his associate degree in Heating, Air conditioning and Refrigeration Technology. He would like to teach someday.

He says his experience at Northwest has been a positive one, and he learns things he uses on his job and in their business. “It’s hands on, being outside and learning every day because you are never going to know it all. You will run into different situations, and you just have to stick with it. Eventually you’ll get it. A guy told me once that the best tool you can have on your truck is a phone. If you don’t know something, you can always call somebody who will,” Chad said.

Gregg’s wife, Denise Blair, and her daughter, Charity Roberson both graduated from the cosmetology program at Northwest, and are now the owner and manager, respectively, of Cut Above salon in Senatobia. Both Blair and Roberson started out in different programs before settling on cosmetology.

Blair attended schools in Independence and graduated from a private school called Hillcrest Academy. After graduation, she attended Northwest,

It’s hands-on, being outside and learning every day.

1. Photo info : Father and son, Gregg (right) and Chad Blair, both Northwest graduates, own and operate GNC Minor Home Repair and Maintenance.

2. Photo info : The Blairs take a look at the wiring in an air conditioning unit.

3. Photo info : Mother and daughter, Denise Blair (right) and Charity Roberson own and manage Cut Above salon in Senatobia.

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1. Photo info : Cut Above manager, Charity Roberson, styles her client’s hair.

2. Photo info : Cut Above owner, Denise Blair, puts the finishing touches on her client’s hair.

earning an associate degree in health and physical education, aspiring to be a physical education teacher. “Down the road, I decided that was not what I wanted to do. So I came back to Northwest in 1982 to study cosmetology,” Blair said.

After graduating and becoming licensed, Blair opened her own shop at her home in Independence. “I wanted to raise my kids and be there when they got home from school everyday. I’ve always loved hair and basketball, which is why I went for the P.E. degree. I found out I was talented in the hair business and I did really well at home for 28 years,” Blair said. While maintaining her home salon, she began working part time at Cut Above in 2000. In 2005, she bought Cut Above, and two years ago, closed her home salon.

Roberson, who now manages her mother’s shop, graduated from the cosmetology program at Northwest in 2007. Before entering the program, she majored in general college. “I thought I never

wanted to do hair, because my mom had been doing it since I was two, so I was just kind of born into this. I tried other things at Northwest, but it just kept pulling me there, so I thought I would just do it,” Roberson said. After graduation, she went to work at her mother’s shop. “She just decided she wanted to be a hairdresser like me. It’s worked out really well. She really has surpassed me. She is a really good hairdresser,” Blair said.

Both women agree that their experience at Northwest played a big part in their success. “I had a really good experience at Northwest. I had great teachers and made a lot of friends that I still stay in touch with,” Roberson said. Blair agreed. “I had really great teachers, Mrs. O’Dell and Mrs. Long, who were both there for a long time. I asked a lot of questions, because I knew this was what I was going to do. I was there to get an education, and they saw that in me, so every time I would ask a question, they would show me. I feel like I got a good education,” Blair said.

Both Blair and Roberson emphasize that cosmetology is not easy and involves a lot of time, effort, study and responsibility. “A lot of people get into it thinking it’s easy. They are wrong. You are dealing with people’s looks, and you don’t want to mess that up. It affects you and your salon. You have to be really serious,” Roberson said. Her mother reiterated her point by adding, “It’s not all fun and games. If you’re looking for a job like that, it’s not. It can be very stressful and a lot of responsibility, but it can be fun. They should not expect to just get out there and do it. It takes hard work to make the


Accounting technology Dawn Stevens 662-280-6134 | [email protected]

Ag Business Bruce Lee 662-562-3430 | [email protected] Ag tech/John Deere Jeremy Massey 662-560-4185 | [email protected] Automotive technology David Yount 662-562-3391 | [email protected]

AviAtion mAintenAnce tech Calvin Cooper 662-280-6183 | [email protected]

Business AnD mArketing mAnAgement technology Joshua Carroll 662-280-6132 | [email protected]

Business oFFice technology Shelia Dandridge 662-562-3365 | [email protected] cArDiovAsculAr technology Ricky Stevens 662-280-6154 | [email protected]

civil engineering technology Tommy Watson 662-562-3364 | [email protected]

collision repAir technology Jackie Brown 662-562-3372 | [email protected]

commerciAl truck Driving Keith Wilbanks 662-280-6181 | [email protected] cosmetology Corine Newsom 662-562-3368 | [email protected] eArly chilDhooD eDucAtion technology Dr. Alice Camp 662-562-3392 | [email protected] emt/pArAmeDic Dave Kuchta 662-562-3986 | [email protected]

FunerAl service tech Larry Anderson 662-280-6137 | [email protected]

grAphic Design tech Cheryl Rice 662-562-3442 | [email protected]

heAlth cAre AssistAnt Kimberly Phelps 662-560-5355 | [email protected]

hotel AnD restAurAnt mAnAgement technology Kay Mistilis 662-280-6133 | [email protected] hvAc Whit Perry 662-562-3888 | [email protected]

inDustriAl electronics Jerry Clark 662-562-3358 | [email protected]

inFormAtion systems tech progrAmming Frank Cleveland 662-562-3344 | [email protected] networking Temple Allen 662-562-3444 | [email protected]

pArAlegAl technology Stephan McDavid 662-562-3345 | smcdavid@northwestms,edu

prActicAl nursing Jennifer Lance 662-562-3371 | [email protected]

precision mAnuFActuring & mAchining technology Jim Gilliam 662-562-3393 | [email protected]

respirAtory therApy Regina Clark 662-280-6151 | [email protected]

surgicAl technology Gwen Shirley 662-281-1912 | [email protected]

welDing AnD cutting Rodney Steele 662-562-3388 | [email protected]

CAREER-TECHNICAL MAJOR ADVISER NAME CONTACT

CONTACTS for CTWE FACULTY


CTWE service MAP

Olive Branch Office

Oxford Office

Senatobia Office

Workforce Training Site

Northwest Campus

WIN Job Center

Workforce Geographic Service Areas

ABE/GED classes

On-site Training

Tunica

DeSoto

MarshallBenton

Tate

Panola Lafayette

Quitman

Yalobusha

CalhounTallahatchie

Legend


CONTACTS for CTWE

CTE Support ServicesRhonda Still, Senatobia662-562-3366 | [email protected] Gardner, DeSoto Center-Southaven662-280-6193 | [email protected]. Michael Butts, Oxford662-238-7951 | [email protected] Holmes, Oxford662-238-7952 | [email protected]

Beverly Brewer Stark Career CenterShannon Mayo, Career Counseling662-562-3954 | [email protected]

Work-Based LearningPetrecia Williams, Work-Based Learning662-562-3341 | [email protected]

ADMINISTRATORSSUPPORT STAFF

AdministrationDavid Campbell, Dean of CTWE662-562-3361 | [email protected] Douglas, Assistant Dean of CTWE662-562-3233 | [email protected] Reed, CTWE Director-DeSoto Center662-280-6167 | [email protected]. Jack Butts, CTWE Director/Dean-Oxford Center662-236-2023 | [email protected] Jennings, Secretary to the Dean662-562-3361 | [email protected]

Campus LocationsMain Campus4975 Highway 51 NorthSenatobia, MS 38668-1701Ph: 662-562-3200

DeSoto Center-Southaven5197 W.E. Ross Pkwy.Southaven, MS 38671Ph: 662-342-1570

DeSoto Center-Olive Branch8750 Deerfield DriveOlive Branch, MS 38654Ph: 662-895-7600

Lafayette-Yalobusha Technical Center1310 Belk DriveOxford, MS 38655Ph: 662-236-2023

Benton County Career-Tech Center25 Industrial DriveAshland, MS 38603Ph: 662-224-8999 | 662-224-8904

For complete program listings by campus, visit www.northwestms.edu/programsbycampus

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