News

02/29/2024 JACKSON, Miss. — On Wednesday, the State Workforce Investment Board confirmed Dr. Courtney Taylor as the new Executive Director of AccelerateMS, the lead office for workforce development strategy and coordination. Effective March 16, 2024, Taylor takes the reins from Ryan Miller, who has led the office since its inception in 2021. Taylor joined AccelerateMS in […]

02/14/2024 Every February, millions of flowers, gifts, candies, and cards exchange hands worldwide in the name of love. While our office admits to having a bit of a sweet tooth, we also love highlighting the impactful role that Career and Technical Education (CTE) plays here in Mississippi. February is CTE Month, providing an opportunity to […]

01/30/2024 JACKSON, Miss. — Mississippi has allocated approximately $1.4 million to career and technical education efforts at 25 high schools and districts across the state, aiming to empower students by aligning their education with their future careers or post-secondary education programs. The EquipMS Grant program, established through House Bill 588 (2023) as the Mississippi K-12 […]

01/03/2024 JACKSON, Miss. — Accelerate Mississippi, the lead office for workforce development strategy and coordination, is pleased to announce that Edward Hargrove will take the lead on federal projects, effective January 1, 2024. In his new role, Hargrove will be responsible for federal grant initiatives and working alongside state partners to develop strategies aimed at […]

12/20/2023 JACKSON, Miss. — The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA), announced today that the Mississippi Department of Employment Security (MDES), in partnership with Accelerate MS, has been awarded a Strategy Development Grant (SDG) to fund local planning activities related to increasing the labor force participation of 25-54 year olds not currently in the labor […]

12/11/2023 JACKSON, Miss. — More than a year after being deployed into Mississippi high schools, AccelerateMS career coaches are proving that students make better choices about the future when they have more individualized support, control, and more connections—all of which benefit workforce development in Mississippi. “Bringing in more coaches has generated a lot of excitement,”  […]

11/08/2023 JACKSON, MS — As part of its dedication to bolster economic prospects for future healthcare professionals and strengthen the health of the state as a whole, Mississippi has awarded more than $15 million to enhance allied health nursing programs across the state. Grants have been awarded to 17 community colleges, institutions of higher learning, […]

10/24/2023 AccelerateMS career coaching strategy aims to move Mississippi forward JACKSON, Miss. — If you’d like to learn about the rapidly growing new strategy in Mississippi that’s connecting high school graduates with rewarding futures, the new AccelerateMS website at coaches.acceleratems.org is a perfect starting point. As the state’s lead workforce development office, AccelerateMS has worked with community-based […]

10/12/2023 Career coaching is one of the most challenging yet rewarding jobs I have ever held. You work at the school, but you do not work for the school. You expose students to different careers but do not technically teach a class. You are stepping into a building where people wonder what you are doing […]

10/05/2023 JACKSON, Miss. — To improve the quality of the healthcare workforce across Mississippi, $3 million has been awarded to five hospitals and health networks throughout the state to grow physician residencies and fellowships. The Physician Residency and Fellowship Start-Up Grant Program, created by Senate Bill 3113 in the 2023 legislative session, is aimed at […]