The Opportunity
NWCC’s current band hall was constructed several decades ago for 70 band students. The number of students involved in band now is more than two and a half times that (180 students). Further, the current auditorium seats 300 people and is too small for most events. As enrollment in fine arts programs continues to grow – we need the facilities to accommodate this growth.
NWCC currently has more than 260 students enrolled in fine arts programs, which includes:

• Art
• Music, Music Education, Music Performance, Music Theory
• Entertainment Industry Studies
• Theatre

The Theatre progam presents three productions every year, including a musical. The Music program presents performances by the Wind Ensemble, Concert Band, Steel Band, Percussion Ensemble, Marching Band, Jazz Band, Northwest Singers, and The Entertainers. The Art program presents numerous art exhibits each semester, which showcase the students and faculty of Northwest as well as famous artists from other areas.

In order to meet the demand for these thriving programs, we must provide more space to accommodate the growth in activity and enrollment. While interest rates are at historic lows, now is the time to construct the Heindl Center for the Performing Arts.

The Project
A new Performing Arts Center will include:

• 1,200+ -seat auditorium
• Band hall for 200+ students
• Recording studio
• Performing arts classrooms/labs
• Small instrumental/vocal rehearsal rooms
• Faculty offices

Time Lapse slideshow

The Impact
The new Heindl Center for the Performing Arts will support enrollment growth in the fine arts. This world-class facility will also generate revenue and encourage economic development for the surrounding cities, counties and region by providing opportunities to host band, choir and dance festivals, as well as traveling concerts. It will enhance fine arts appreciation for all of the surrounding communities.

The Opportunity Prior
to the COVID-19 pandemic, the shortage of commercial airline pilots was one of the biggest concerns in the global aviation industry.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, there were about 827,000 pilots in the U.S. in 1987. Over the last three decades, that number has decreased by 30 percent. Meanwhile, during this time period, there has been a tremendous increase in the demand for air travel. The International Air Transport Association predicts that, over the next 20 years, air travel will double. This is a classic case of low supply and high demand.

NWCC seeks to meet the growing opportunity in the area for pilot training. The aviation industry remains an important contributor to job creation and economic development. Due to our close proximity to the FedEx World Hub in Memphis, the airport, and other companies that need aviation graduates, NWCC is well-positioned to train the next generation of pilots.

The Project
This expanded program will include a new Private Pilot Training Program, Agricultural Aviation Program, and the expansion of the Aviation Maintenance Technology Program. This program will allow students to obtain in-demand jobs, thus positively impacting the economic development of the area.

Due to equipment needed, aviation has a high startup cost. Types of planes that will need to be purchased include: cropdusters, agricultural application aircraft, a twin turboprop aircraft and Cessna 172 training aircraft. In addition, hangers will be constructed to house the planes. This program will be located at the Batesville Airport.

The Opportunity
DeSoto County is THE FASTEST growing county in the state of Mississippi. The need for a workforce training center to bridge the gap from unemployment/ underemployment to employment is critical to maintain the economic success in northwest Mississippi. This 40,000-square- foot workforce training center will be constructed on the NWCC DeSoto Center Campus in Southaven, MS, to give individuals access to resum  assistance, interview coaching, technical skills training and job opportunities, all under one roof.

With all of the business and industry growth in DeSoto County, this facility will help support the region’s business growth and grow existing and new NWCC programs so that enrollment will be able to increase at the DeSoto Center. To further make the case for the critical need of this center in Desoto County, a few statistics below are noted:

• The current population of DeSoto County is 185,000; an average of four families PER DAY move into the county.
• DeSoto County students make up 47% of Northwest’s entire enrollment
• In the past two years, manufacturing activity has increased 10% in DeSoto County.
  • Approximately 10,000 warehouse jobs
  • Approximately 5,000 manufacturing jobs
  • Approximately 200 distributors and manufacturers
• Currently, five million square feet of industrial spec space is being constructed in DeSoto County.
• Methodist and Baptist hospitals combined comprise 2,180 healthcare jobs.
• DeSoto County has 23% of the entire Memphis MSA’s industrial space.
• DeSoto County currently has 24 active industrial prospects.
• In 2018 there were: 11 new industrial locations, 12 existing industrial expansions, $237 million in capital investments, and 1,835 new jobs created.
• In 2019 there were: 12 new industrial locations, 13 industrial expansions, over $525 million in capital investments, and 2,762 new jobs created.

*DeSoto County statistics provided by the DeSoto County Economic Development Council.

The Project
The 40,000-square-foot facility with flexible training space on the current NWCC DeSoto Center Campus will focus on bridging the skills gaps in our region and equipping students and incumbent workers with the resources they need to get a job. It will concentrate on advanced manufacturing, logistics technology, and healthcare training.
The facility will house:

• Workforce credit and non-credit training
• One-stop job center with WIOA and MOES Services
• Adult Education and high school equivalency testing
• Regional Testing/Assessment Center (graduate programs, professional licensure, professional development)
• Existing CTE programs to move from current campus facility
• Meeting space
• Dual credit in CTE classes
• Apprenticeships with industry
• Hospitality and Resort Management Program
• More articulated programs with Ole Miss with expanded partnerships

This facility will also provide for training within Industry 4.0., which is described as the internet of things through the interconnectedness of robots, automation, sensors, and other machines. Industry 4.0 is growing rapidly in northwest Mississippi. NWCC helped train over 4,000 employees for DeSoto County in 2017-2018, but there are currently no training facilities to house this type of workforce training.

Some of the unique training programs within Industry 4.0 that will be offered include robotics, automation, sensors, programming, cybersecurity, coding, information technology, simulation, embedded computing, data and analytics, app development, culinary arts, artificial intelligence and augmented reality.

The Impact
At this new workforce training center in DeSoto County, Northwest Mississippi Community College can provide the training for the manpower necessary to meet the growing demands of existing companies and to attract new industry. Northwest must increase training capacity in order to accomplish this. Estimates show 500 to 1,000 skilled workers can be trained in this facility annually. This facility will provide the necessary space for enrollment growth and new programs while also providing a one-stop training site with job placement under one roof.

The Opportunity
Local industry representatives in Panola County have consistently informed county and economic development officials that there are not enough qualified applicants to fill positions, that employees require additional soft- and hardskill training, and that industry growth is hampered by these workforce deficiencies.

To meet the growing demands of existing companies and to attract new companies seeking qualified employees in their facilities, Northwest needs to increase the capacity of training. Quality training is more than knowledge acquisition. Quality training enables workers to perform, answering the hallmark question of industry: “Can the workers do the job?” Therefore, quality training requires this “hands-on” experience.

The Project
The transformation of the Old Factory Outlet Facility in Batesville on I-55 into a workforce training center – called The Concourse – will provide 138,000 square feet of flexible and customizable training space. Classroom space, meeting rooms and conference rooms will also be included.

The Diesel Mechanic Academy is open at The Concourse! This is the flagship program at this center and provides future employees with competencies required to maintain and repair a variety of industrial diesel equipment, including commercial trucks and construction equipment. The program includes instruction in inspection, repair and maintenance of engines, power trains, hydraulic systems and other components.

Additional training, including a combination of workforce and career-technical, at the comprehensive training center in Panola County will focus on areas such as:

• Construction trades, such as carpentry, welding, stone and masonry, and forklift driving
• Robotics
• Simulation
• Computer networking - embedded computing, the cloud, data and analytics
• Cybersecurity
• Additive manufacturing
• Augmented reality
• Entrepreneurship

In addition, the comprehensive center will provide:

• Job Center with WIOA and MDES services
• Adult education and high school equivalency testing
• Assessment center
• Existing career and technical programs in business
• Dual credit /enrollment programs with area high schools
• Apprenticeships with industry

The Impact
Companies are losing potential revenue due to the shortage of skilled employees. For example, according to the Associated Equipment Distributors Foundation (AEDF), the heavy equipment industry is losing $2.4 billion in potential revenue due to the shortage of diesel technicians. Hiring skilled workers is critical for business growth. NWCC is positioned to help solve this shortage.

At The Concourse in Panola County, we can provide the training for the manpower necessary for companies. Estimates show 500 to 1,000 skilled workers can be trained in this facility annually. The question is not if these positions are needed, but how many and how quickly. This reality requires the availability of a skilled workforce.

The Opportunity
There is an effort underway to enhance the overall student experience at the Lafayette-Yalobusha Technical Center located in Oxford.

A NWCC education is not confined to the classroom. Coursework is just a foundation for students to build on with experiences chosen to feed their passions, satisfy their curiosity, and develop their talents. Due to the size of the institution, students receive the hands-on experiences year one and two that, students at larger institutions, don’t receive until year three or four. This early exposure is a great way to get a jump start on their chosen career – or to help students realize early on that they might need to reconsider the direction they’d like to pursue.

We want the talented, hardworking students who grow up in this area to stay here. As they move into their professional careers, we want them to make an impact in our region and our communities. The best way to do that is to offer the programs they desire – right here in their backyard. Therefore, we must continuously enhance our current offerings and expand to new ones.

The Project
Program enhancements and expansions at the Lafayette-Yalobusha Campus include:
Expansion to the Practical Nursing Program – The addition of an evening/ weekend program to Practical Nursing will enable more non-traditional students to complete this program while they continue to fulfill their other daily responsibilities. We are also seeking a transitional evening/weekend program that will move Practical Nursing students to Registered Nursing students.

Expansion and Addition of Health Science Programs – Allied health is an essential part of healthcare that relies on administrative, support, therapeutic, and technological roles. In total, around 60% of the U.S. healthcare workforce is made up of allied health professionals. NWCC would like to expand the number of our Health Care Assistant (HCA) students from 12 to 30 and our Surgical Tech students from 20 to 25. Further, we would like to add new programs such as Dental Hygiene, Radiology Technology, Sonography and Occupational Therapy Assistant to our offerings at the Lafayette-Yalobusha Campus.

Expansion of the Associate Degree Nursing Program – Currently, NWCC only offers the Associate Degree Nursing Program at its main campus in Senatobia. Given the demand for registered nurses, we would like to expand this traditional campus-based curriculum to the Lafayette-Yalobusha Campus.

The Impact
Graduates will have the ability to educate and impact the well-being of Mississippians and impact our local communities. Although the number of health care workers continues to rise, demand is greater than ever. Health care workers are seeing more people and patients, with more complex and serious conditions, than ever before. NWCC will graduate students with the ability to deliver consistent and improving high-quality care, despite this growing demand. By investing today in these programs, we are impacting tomorrow by transforming the lives of our students as well as those who will one day be under their care.

The Opportunity
NWCC currently does not have an athletic complex for the sports of softball, women’s soccer and men’s soccer. In order to provide for these deserving student-athletes, as well as meet federal compliance guidelines on offering equal opportunity of sports for males and females, NWCC will build a complex that provides locker rooms, a team meeting room and coaches offices for softball and soccer.

The Project
A new 9,000-square -foot athletic complex will house home and visitor locker rooms for women’s softball and soccer, as well as men’s soccer, and coaches’ offices for each sport. A large team meeting room will double as a recruiting space and a game view room, along with a viewing porch on the second level. The new facility, located between the existing softball and soccer fields, will also include restrooms and concession options for fans attending home events at the complex.

Plans also call for the addition of lighting to the softball field, giving NWCC the option of hosting evening events. Additional enhancements include rebuilding the softball outfield with new drainage sod and improvements to the dugouts and fencing.

The Impact
The new complex will allow NWCC to be more competitive from a recruiting perspective. In order to grow the program, we must have an adequate facility for soccer and softball athletes.

The Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference sets the maximum roster size for Mississippi community colleges for softball, men’s soccer and women’s soccer. This new facility will allow us to grow our existing teams to reach the maximum set by MACCC.