JACKSON, Miss. – September 19, 2025 – Career coaches from across Mississippi came together for Catalyst ‘25, a two-day workshop focused on professional growth, career pathways, and strengthening statewide collaboration. Hosted by AccelerateMS, the event emphasized skill-building, ecosystem coordination, and innovative tools designed to expand the impact of career coaching programs.
“It’s awesome to see over 200 career coaches from all across the state come together,” said Blaise King, Director of Workforce Innovation for Accelerate Mississippi. “While we know each ecosystem that they serve is unique, we’re all Mississippians and we’re all trying to work to push Mississippi forward.”
Catalyst ‘25 featured presentations from the Mississippi Department of Education, Mississippi Community College Board, Department of Rehabilitation Services, Department of Human Services, and Mississippi Department of Employment Security. The event also highlighted the official launch of the Career Coach data management platform.
“We launched a platform where the career coaches in Mississippi can track their coaching sessions with students,” said Kaleb Pickering, Director of Education and Training at Career Team. “Now AccelerateMS and Career Coaches can use that data to develop insights and have a visual representation of their impact, they can better understand where students are headed, and see where the state of Mississippi is as a whole.”
The system integrates AI-enabled features such as automated case notes, interactive dashboards, and real-time analytics, helping coaches and state leaders align career pathways with Mississippi’s workforce needs.
“We’re very excited about having a comprehensive data collection tool that puts us all on the same page… It changes the lives and trajectories of students that, in most cases, had been left behind,” said David Fava, Career Coach Supervisor.
“At Microsoft, we appreciate the opportunity to collaborate with Accelerate MS and the CATALYST 2025 initiative,” said Codeye Woody, State Government Affairs Director. “By equipping career coaches with AI tools like Copilot, we’re helping them amplify their impact—empowering students across Mississippi to navigate the future of work with confidence, curiosity, and purpose.”
AccelerateMS leaders emphasized that Career EDGE will not only streamline case management but also demonstrate the measurable impact of career coaching across the state, ensuring students are better prepared to showcase their abilities as they prepare to enter post-secondary education or the workforce.
About AccelerateMS
AccelerateMS serves the people and businesses of Mississippi by developing and deploying workforce strategies to connect individuals with transformative, high-paying careers. By leveraging resources and partnering with organizations that hold complementary missions, AccelerateMS effectuates positive change, creating sustained individual, community, and statewide economic prosperity.
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