18 September Upskill Mid-South offers possible financial assistance for four ICC short-term traning programs September 18, 2025 By Thomas, Donna S. Career Center, General 0 Students who enroll in four short-term training programs at Itawamba Community College could have the opportunity for financial assistance through Upskill Mid-South, which is a collaboration with the Three Rivers Planning and Development District and the University of Memphis. The programs include Electrician Assistant, Welding and Cutting, Commercial Truck Driving and Google IT Support, according to Josh Gammill, director of Continuing Education and Career Services. “Upskill Mid-South introduced the initiative to provide targeted training programs aimed at supporting unemployed and underemployed individuals across a 42-county tristate region,” Gammill noted. The program is designed to address critical workforce needs. Among the Mississippi counties include Alcorn, Benton, DeSoto, Lafayette, Lee, Marshall, Panola, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Tate, Tippah, Tishomingo, Tunica and Union. “The Itawamba Community College, the University of Memphis and UpSkill Mid-South Partnership offers accelerated job training and education programs to people in the community as well as help finding a job,” said Diane Pabich, director, University of Memphis, Upskill Mid-South program. “Our programs help individuals develop and refine skills that are highly valued in today’s workplace. All are completely sponsored.” To be eligible for Upskill Mid-South training sponsorship, individuals must be 18 years of age or older, U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen with authorization to work in the U.S. and comply with the Military Selective Service Act registration provisions. They must be either unemployed or underemployed (working fewer than 30 hours a week or pay rate less than $20 per hour), a legal permanent resident and currently living in the 42-county tri-state service area. In order to document the eligibility information, participants will be required to upload documentation to demonstrate eligibility for sponsorship before beginning a skills training program, Gammill said. Included are age and identification verification, region verification (proof of residency in counties covered) and unemployment or underemployment verification. Class dates and times include Electrician Assistant, Oct. 7-Dec. 11, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6-9 p.m. and Jan. 23-Mar. 26, 2026, 6-9 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays; Welding and Cutting, Jan. 12-Mar. 25, 2026, Mondays and Wednesdays, 5-9 p.m.; Commercial Truck Driving, Oct. 6-31, Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m.; Nov. 10-Dec. 12, Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Jan.12-Feb. 12, 2026, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m.; and Google IT Support Certificate, self-paced, Jan. 12-May 8, 2026, For more information, contact jegammill@iccms.edu or continuingeducation@iccms.edu. Related Articles ICC collaboration provides opportunity for financial assistance for five short-term training programs Students who enroll in five short-term training programs at Itawamba Community College could have the opportunity for financial assistance through Upskill Mid-South, which is a collaboration with the Three Rivers Planning and Development District and the University of Memphis. The programs include Commercial Truck Driving, Electrician Assistant, Google IT, Residential Carpentry Assistant and Welding, according to Josh Gammill, director of Continuing Education. “Upskill Mid-South has introduced the new initiative to provide targeted training programs aimed at supporting unemployed and underemployed individuals across a 42-county tristate region,” Gammill noted. The program is designed to address critical workforce needs. Among the Mississippi counties include Alcorn, Benton, DeSoto, Lafayette, Lee, Marshall, Panola, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Tate, Tippah, Tishomingo, Tunica and Union. “The Itawamba Community College, the University of Memphis and UpSkill Mid-South Partnership offers accelerated job training and education programs to people in the community as well as help finding a job,” said Diane Pabich, director, University of Memphis, Upskill Mid-South program. “Our programs help individuals develop and refine skills that are highly valued in today’s workplace. All are completely sponsored.” To ... ICC offers free short-term pathway programs to those who qualify through Dec. Itawamba Community College is offering several free short-term career pathways to those who qualify from now until the end of December as part of the ReSkill Mississippi Initiative. The program is designed to help ease the economic burden and uncertainty the pandemic has created for the state’s workforce. ICC is utilizing the resources to enhance or start new workforce development training and/or career education programs that would positively impact underemployed, unemployed, furloughed and/or otherwise displaced individuals who are experiencing economic hardships as a result of COVID-19, said ICC President Dr. Jay Allen. ICC has utilized the ReSkill Mississippi funds to create short-term pathway programs in medical administrative assistant, quality improvement associate, introduction to industrial maintenance and electrician assistant. They join a list of 14 other pathway programs, which also offer free tuition opportunities for those who qualify through December. Allen, who serves as chair of the Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Workforce Committee, and Tyler Camp, chief of staff and special assistant to the president, were instrumental in securing the more than $49 million to ... ICC offers free short-term career pathways through December to those who qualify Itawamba Community College is offering several free short-term career pathways to those who qualify from now until the end of December as part of the ReSkill Mississippi Initiative. The program is designed to help ease the economic burden and uncertainty the pandemic has created for the state’s workforce. ICC is utilizing the resources to enhance or start new workforce development training and/or career education programs that would positively impact underemployed, unemployed, furloughed and/or otherwise displaced individuals who are experiencing economic hardships as a result of COVID-19, said ICC President Dr. Jay Allen. ICC has utilized the ReSkill Mississippi funds to create short-term pathway programs in medical administrative assistant, quality improvement associate, introduction to industrial maintenance and electrician assistant. They join a list of 14 other pathway programs, which also offer free tuition opportunities for those who qualify through December. Allen, who serves as chair of the Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Workforce Committee, and Tyler Camp, chief of staff and special assistant to the president, were instrumental in securing the more than $49 million to ... ICC offers FAFSA completion assistance Itawamba Community College is offering an opportunity to assist prospective students with completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Students in ICC’s five-county district can make appointments with a financial aid adviser on designated dates, according to Terry Bland, director of Financial Aid at ICC. The schedule includes Mooreville High School, Oct. 26; Tupelo Christian Preparatory School, Oct. 27; Shannon High School, Oct. 28; Itawamba Agricultural High School, Oct. 29; Aberdeen High School, Nov. 2; Hamilton High School, Nov. 3; Amory High School, Nov. 8; Tupelo High School, Nov. 9; Okolona High School, Nov. 10; Pontotoc High School, Nov. 11; and South Pontotoc High School, Nov. 16. Additional sessions have been held at Saltillo High School, Smithville High School, Houlka Attendance Center, Hatley High School, Nettleton High School, Baldwyn High School, Tremont High School and North Pontotoc High School. Appointment times can be scheduled at www.iccms.edu/appointments. The FAFSA is the form used by the United States Department of Education to determine eligibility for federal, state and college-sponsored financial aid, including grants, educational ... ICC offers Industrial Maintenance short-term classes The Itawamba Community College Division of Economic and Community Services is offering an opportunity for individuals to sharpen their skills and learn more about industrial maintenance with a series of short-term classes beginning Aug. 6. Classes meet at the ICC Belden Center on Tuesdays and Thursdays or Wednesdays and Fridays from 7 a.m.-4 p.m. They include Basic Electricity, Aug. 6-20; Advanced Electricity, Aug. 22-Sept. 5; PLC-RSLogix for AB 5/500/MICROLOGIX, Sept. 4-18; Mechanical Drives, Sept. 4-Oct. 4; Fluid Power, Sept. 10-Oct. 8; Electrical Control Systems, Oct. 10-24; Industrial Control Wiring, Oct. 29-Nov. 12; Control Logix System Fundamentals and Programming, Oct. 30-Nov. 13; and Troubleshooting, Nov. 14-Dec. 3. Cost per 40-hour class is $480. For more information or to register, contact Becky Kelly at (662) 407-1500 or email rakelly@iccms.edu. ICC's ADN, PN programs to benefit from $40,000 Women's Foundation of Mississippi Grant Students in Itawamba Community College’s Associate Degree Nursing and Practical Nursing programs again will have an opportunity to benefit from a significant grant from the Women’s Foundation of Mississippi. For the second consecutive year, the $40,000 Access to Opportunity – Training and Graduating a Healthcare Workforce for Mississippi grant will be divided between the ADN and PN programs based on relative program enrollments, said Tonya Vaughn, dean of Health Science Instruction. Last year, 31 ADN and 19 PN students received funds. During 2021-22, recipients of the grant money expressed their appreciation for their selection. Among the uses for the funds included purchase of a new computer that was compatible with technology used in the nursing program, payment for the NCLEX review and application, vehicle tires for less hazardous travel to and from school and clinicals and childcare to enable continued enrollment. Students in their final year/semester of their nursing program will be informed of this grant during the beginning of the fall semester, Vaughn said. Those who would like to be considered for the grant will complete an ... Comments are closed.