Leake County Workforce Training Center Progressing Toward Construction

The future of workforce development in central Mississippi continues to take shape as the Leake County Workforce Training Center enters the Construction Documents phase. Omni partner Chad Gallas is serving as the Workforce Development Programming and Planning Consultant in collaboration with Jackson-based Cawthon Canizaro Davis Architects. The project is being constructed on behalf of the Leake County Development Authority in partnership with East Central Community College.

Located in Carthage, Mississippi, the new facility is being designed to address the current and future workforce needs of Leake County and the surrounding region. The center will focus primarily on non-credit workforce training programs while maintaining the flexibility to support future credit-bearing academic offerings as regional educational and industry demands evolve.

The training center will feature a diverse range of instructional environments tailored to high-demand career pathways. Key components include a six-bay flexible industrial laboratory designed to support electrical systems, motor controls, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), and HVAC technician training. A combined precision machining and welding lab will help address critical workforce shortages in industrial maintenance and skilled trades.

Healthcare education will be supported through a dedicated nursing laboratory and classroom suite, complete with simulation and simulation control rooms that provide students with hands-on learning experiences in realistic clinical settings. The facility will also include a truck driving simulation space, with provisions for a future outdoor CDL training area.

To support technology-focused careers, the center will house a Computer and Information Technology lab and classroom dedicated to software, hardware, and networking instruction. Flexible classrooms equipped with movable furnishings and operable partitions will accommodate a variety of instructional formats while also serving as a large community meeting venue when needed.

Throughout the facility, student-centered collaboration and engagement spaces will encourage interaction, teamwork, and informal learning opportunities, reinforcing the center's mission to prepare students and workers for success in an evolving economy.

As the project progresses toward construction, the Leake County Workforce Training Center represents a significant investment in workforce development and economic growth for the region, creating new opportunities for individuals, employers, and communities throughout central Mississippi.