For people who need a high school diploma and need to learn a skill, the MIBEST@Co-Lin program could be the perfect solution.

The Mississippi Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training is designed to quickly teach students literacy, work and college-readiness skills so they can move through school and into living-wage jobs at a faster rate. One of the primary goals of MIBEST is to increase family-sustaining wages among high school dropouts and non-traditional students in the state by improving educational outcomes and career-focused skills.

The program enrolls qualified applicants in both adult education classes and in college credit career technical programs. The five available pathways are: automotive technology, business office technology, diesel equipment, heating and air-conditioniing technology and precision machining technology.

Not only will enrollees learn a skill and earn a high school diploma, they will obtain a career readiness certificate, polish their soft skills and become more financially literate.

Brent Duguid is the project coordinator.

The first step in the program is to enroll in the free adult education classes at Copiah-Lincoln Community College.

Anyone can come any Monday at 1:30 p.m. to the Sandifer Building on the Wesson campus to get involved. The next registration is July 25 at 5 p.m. in Smith Hall.

For more information, call 601-643-8655.