Career coaches are closing the gap in Mississippi’s workforce shortage

The momentum we continued building in 2023 with our statewide career coaching strategy has positioned us for a strong start in 2024—and highlights why “Accelerate” is part of our name. 

As Mississippi’s lead workforce development office, AccelerateMS develops and deploys strategies to connect Mississippians with transformative, high-paying careers. Career coaching is one way we’re addressing an urgent workforce need in communities across Mississippi, and according to the numbers, there’s no time to waste.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce reports that Mississippi has 80,000 job openings across multiple sectors, yet only 49 workers are available for every 100 open jobs. This persistent labor shortage poses many workforce challenges and means that too many Mississippians are missing out on quality job opportunities—often in their own back yards. 

We have a lot of ground to make up if we expect to close the gap, and that’s where career coaches are making an impact. 

When the case for career coaching was presented to the State Legislature, they recognized the benefits that workforce development stood to gain by expanding the strategy statewide. Their support has made it possible to place 176 career coaches in 115 school districts across Mississippi, and each coach is accountable for tracking and reporting data that reflects their impact on student outcomes.  

We believe there’s a place in the workforce for every Mississippian who follows a high-skill, high-tech career track into the future. The key is making them aware of opportunities, removing barriers to their success and ensuring they graduate from high school with a career plan in place, whether it’s continuing their education, entering the workforce, or a combination of options. 

If you spend some time reading their stories, you’ll gain a better understanding of why career coaches are helping create brighter futures for high school students as well as families, communities and businesses of all kinds. It’s a strategy with far-reaching implications for all Mississippians, and we can’t wait to see what 2024 has in store.