Workforce Development Month Recap

Created in 2005 by the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals (NAWDP), Workforce Development Month raises awareness about the importance of the workforce industry to a growing national economy. In 2024, NAWDP recognized five remarkable success stories which featured individuals and organizations that have set new standards in the industry. 87 Workforce Development Heroes from across the United States, were also nominated by their peers for their exceptional contributions to workforce development. Below is a highlight of one of the stories which featured a fellow LINCS community member, Bronwyn Robertson. You can read the entire report HERE.

Success Story about Bronwyn Robertson 

Job Title:  Assistant Director, WIOA Compliance, Office of Adult Education 

Organization: Mississippi Community College Board 

Service Area: Mississippi 

Partner Affiliation: Adult Education and Family Literacy Act Challenge: Mississippi (MS) currently has over 311,000 individuals above the age of 18 without a high school diploma or its equivalency. Our office oversees adult education providers in the state which are located at our 15 community colleges, three K-12 systems, and three correctional facilities. When we talk about the workforce needs, not just in MS, I wonder why adult education is not at the table of those discussions. Our adult education programs integrate workforce development elements, such as job readiness training and career counseling, through our integrated education and training program, MIBEST, which is basically dual-enrollment for adult education.

Describe the steps you took in creating a solution and why it worked. 

MS uses its employability skills class, Smart Start, which includes ACT's WorkKeys assessments, as an on-ramp for students' career pathways. Smart Start is a 45-hour course that connects students to the state's labor exchange while at the same time teaching about MS' employment sectors, job search strategies, financial literacy, digital literacy, and essential workplace skills needed to obtain and retain a job. It's during this course, students determine their pathway, and from there, our college and career navigators provide counseling and guidance to transition students, whether that's to a MIBEST program, direct transition to further training, or directly to the workforce. 

Describe the outcome/benefits on the population you serve, your participant, or employer after the steps you took to create a solution were implemented. 

The outcomes actually benefit our students, the employer, and most importantly, our communities. MS' workforce participation rate is the lowest in the country, but the adult education programs could serve as a great resource to increase that. With over 1,700 students receiving their high school equivalency this past year along with over 2,000 receiving a Smart Start Credential and National Career Readiness Certificate, adult education has individuals that have a skill set to meet the demands of the middle skill job needs in our state