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New workforce training center could be a big boost to fast-growing Marshall County, Mississippi

Northwest Mississippi Community College students are getting a variety of vocational training opportunities as hundreds of jobs come online in Byhalia, MS area.

MARSHALL COUNTY, Mississippi — With massive warehouses springing up everywhere, there's no denying Marshall County, Mississippi is on a continued hot streak for growth.

Now, the area southeast of Shelby County is banking on more momentum.

A newly opened community college training center is matching its instruction with the needed skills for hundreds of manufacturing and distribution jobs now open - or about to come online.

"I tell my students, I make learning fun," Northwest Mississippi Community College adult education instructor Betty Bluitt said.

Teaching is a passion for Bluitt, as is opening a variety of doors for her pupils.

"We've got this in Marshall County where we can come in and get our education, workforce training, all in the same building," Bluitt said.

Monday morning, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves and others celebrated the newly opened Marshall County Workforce Training Center, which partners with the community college in the fast growing distribution and manufacturing area.

"It's going to help train the workers for the jobs of the next 50 years," Gov. Reeves said.

"The future is bright. We are going to continue to attract new prospects, but the goal is also to meet the demands of our existing industries," Justin Hall with the Marshall County Industrial Development Authority added. 

The center includes training for good paying jobs in machining, electrical, and fork lifting - just the kind of newly opened industries and those being built close by.

"It is so motivating that not only are students eager to come here for that but, they're like, what can we do to get started quicker? Because we've got a lot of job opportunities that are happening right now," Bluitt said.

There's now three industrial parks in Marshall County, including the announced expansion of a second Amazon fulfillment center, scheduled to open this fall.

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