INDIANOLA - The Delta Center workforce training facility in Indianola is scheduled to be completely open by the end of September, its director reported Thursday.
Perry Jenkins spoke at the meeting of the Mid-Delta Empowerment Zone Alliance (MDEZA) Board of Commissioners. The meeting was held at the Delta Center.
The center, located on U.S. 82, provides training for businesses. It is an extension of the Center for Career and Workforce Development at Mississippi Delta Community College. The facility was built with the help of a $4.2 million grant from MDEZA.
The computers for the center have arrived, and the furniture should all be in within the next 10 days, Jenkins said.
Although the supplies are still coming in, the center already is busy providing training. Four of its training rooms are occupied three weekdays each week, and the other rooms just lack equipment, Jenkins said.
Double Quick is pre-training its employees on customer service, scanner operation and other skills. Viking Range Corp. will train employees in such areas as "lean manufacturing," hydraulics and pneumatics.
A plaque on the building will recognize the role of MDEZA and the center's other benefactors, Jenkins said.
Dollar General donated the land for the building, Viking provided a kitchen, La-Z-Boy contributed office furniture and U.S. Axminster, a British company with an office in Greenville, supplied carpet.
Jenkins also announced that the Department of Career and Workforce Development at MDCC would be moving to the Delta Center. He said the move was "economically the right thing to do" and would save 26 to 28 percent in expenses.
