LOUISVILLE, Miss. – September 30, 2026 – At the Winston-Louisville Career and Technology Center, students are getting an early look at careers in demand in their community.
The center offers programs across a variety of career fields, from culinary arts and health sciences to welding and information technology. In its industrial maintenance program, an investment from AccelerateMS through the EquipMS grant is helping students gain hands-on experience with the tools, technology, and skills used by industry.
Winston-Louisville was among the first schools to receive EquipMS funding in 2024. CTE director Shane McDaniel said the investment helped the center upgrade its industrial maintenance program to better align training with the needs of employers in Winston County and the surrounding region.
“Multi-craft skills are really in demand right now,” McDaniel said. “Industrial maintenance employers are looking for people who can do a little bit of everything — welding, machining, troubleshooting PLCs and electrical work. They want someone with a well-rounded skill set who can step in and handle different needs.”
That alignment is intentional. McDaniel said the center regularly listens to local and regional employers to understand what skills they need and what they are looking for in future employees.
“We really just listened to what they were looking at and what their needs are, and what they’re hiring for future students,” McDaniel said.
Those conversations have helped shape programs and curriculum at the center, including the transition to industrial maintenance.
For industrial maintenance instructor Bill White, preparing students for those opportunities starts by giving them a chance to experience the work for themselves.
“Most of them have not touched a drill, much less a welder or any type of hydraulic equipment,” White said. “It gives them a chance to experience that.”
EquipMS funding helped the program purchase equipment including electrical and hydraulic trainers that give students hands-on experience in a controlled environment. The electrical trainers, for example, allow students to learn while reducing the voltage they would otherwise encounter working with electrical systems.
The skills needed for those careers are also changing as automation and technology become a larger part of industrial workplaces.
“A lot of things are becoming more automated,” McDaniel said. “Kids have got to be tech smart. When I was growing up, you just had to be hands-on. It’s a whole different ballgame now.”
McDaniel said that shift is reflected in what students are learning.
“That’s what industrial maintenance has kind of shifted to,” he said. “And that’s exactly what the curriculum is lining up with — what’s going on in the workforce industry.”
For Jahleel Adams, that experience builds on an interest that started at home. His father worked with power tools, and Adams said machinery, power tools, and 3D printers were among the things that attracted him to the program.
“I just wanted to get a little bit of an advantage,” Adams said.
One of his favorite pieces of equipment has become the plasma cutter.
“While you’re cutting those pieces of metal, it makes you feel like a real worker,” he said.
Adams is considering studying engineering after graduation and sees the program as an opportunity to develop a foundation of technical knowledge before taking his next step.
For 11th-grader JuanQuarius Harrington, the program provides an opportunity to turn an interest in hands-on work into skills he can use beyond high school.
“It’s the type of work I like to do,” Harrington said. “I know it will get me somewhere far one day.”
Kambri Coburn joined the program with little welding experience. After getting the chance to try it, welding and construction became potential career options.
“I thought about not going to the military and staying around and welding and doing construction work,” Coburn said.
That exposure is paired with credentials and training students can carry with them after high school. White said the program works to ensure students completing their second year leave with NCCER Core Level 1, OSHA 10, CPR and forklift training.
“We do our best to make sure when they leave they have a really well-rounded resume, and they know what to do with it,” White said.
The impact of the EquipMS investment is ultimately about giving students access to experiences that can help them understand what is possible after high school.
“I really, really do appreciate the grant and the opportunity to have all this equipment,” White said. “Without it, a lot of what we do, we would be unable to expose the kids to.”
About AccelerateMS
AccelerateMS supports the people and businesses of Mississippi by creating and implementing workforce strategies that link individuals to transformative, high-paying careers. Through strong partnerships and effective grants management, the organization promotes sustained individual, community, and statewide economic growth.
