The city of Brookhaven will soon learn more about a Copiah-Lincoln Community College program that almost any business can take advantage of to save on employee training.

In Tuesday’s Board of Aldermen meeting, Co-Lin Program Coordinator Kenny Goza invited the board to learn more about its workforce program. The Workforce Education Center has many opportunities for employers through training programs that are designed to enhance an employee’s performance and achieve organizational objectives.

“A few weeks ago we held a community-type meeting where we talked about community partnerships and how we can all work together and share resources,” Goza said. “We found out that there are some training opportunities for city employees to be done for free through our workforce program.”

There are safety programs and training which can be attractive to larger industries or businesses, which require or benefit from certain training. Other training includes computer and computer program skills; health training such as CPR and other certifications; management and team building skills; and other specific skill training in welding, construction, industrial environments and more.

“Every industry pays into a workforce fund [which is] taken out of taxes. That workforce program is then divided among the community colleges, all 15 of them, and then there’s workforce training that can be done through the college at no expense to the entity that takes advantage of it. If there’s a specific training or program that the city needs then Co-Lin can work on providing that,” Goza said.

The workforce program also benefits economic development by offering training that industries or businesses require for its employees for free.

“It’s an economic development tool,” Goza said.

The Board of Aldermen was invited to learn more about the opportunities later this month. Other counties take advantage of the opportunities that Brookhaven might not know enough about yet.

“Simpson County taps into the workforce fund at over $100,000,” Goza said. “Brookhaven is about $40,000. So we’re missing a lot of opportunity for our local existing businesses to use the workforce programs that are up there.”

For more information about the Workforce Education Center call 601-643-8707.