WESSON – Mississippi Development Authority Executive DirectorBob Rohrlack Thursday praised 21 Workforce Investment Act trainingprogram graduates and said they represent the “heart of whateconomic development is all about.”

The graduates, who have completed a particular WIA trainingprogram and maintained employment for at least 90 days, werehonored during a luncheon at Copiah-Lincoln Community College.

“These graduates are outstanding examples of the positiveoutcomes we can expect when the state, local elected officials andbusinesses work together as a team to develop training programsthat will help result in a well trained and qualified work force,”Rohrlack said. “A robust work force is one way we can create aclimate favorable to business.”

WIA funds are given to local Workforce Investment Areas, such asSouthcentral Mississippi Works, which offers training programs foradults and laid-off workers through the Workforce InvestmentNetwork (WIN) job centers.

Thursday’s program graduates included workers from 16 counties.Graduates from the Brookhaven WIN Job Center programs includedRandy Brown and Hank Howell of Estes Glass; Toler Smith of McLaneSouthern; Karon Washington of Beverly Healthcare and Bonnie Madisonof the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department.

Rohrlack applauded the federal, state and local team approach tohelping workers. He said it offers the flexibility to respond tomarket conditions and adjust to new and existing businesses’employee training needs.

“We’re working with business all over the state to help them getpeople employed,” Rohrlack said.

Through those efforts, Rohrlack said businesses get trainedemployees who are Mississippians.

“We think that is the ultimate win-win for the state,” Rohrlacksaid.

During his address, Rohrlack took issue with the U.S. Chamber ofCommerce’s recent announcement urging businesses to avoidMississippi because of the state’s legal climate.

“Nobody’s ignoring that there’s a tort issue we need to addressin the state,” said Rohrlack.

Rohrlack added, though, that other states also have legalclimate issues but the U.S. Chamber did not target them. He saidnational chamber officials are welcome to come to the state to helpaddress the problems, but they have not done that so far.

“We haven’t heard hide nor hair from the U.S. Chamber since theypointed their finger at us,” Rohrlack said.

Despite the announcement, Rohrlack said the state isexperiencing economic development. He said the legislature is alsoworking on the tort reform issue.

Rohrlack encouraged graduates to help their fellow workers andspread the word about the WIA training programs.

“We’re all supposed to be helping each other get along and goalong further,” Rohrlack said.