{{RELATEDLINKS}}Mississippi is a prime location choice for a growing list of global companies. The state’s supportive business climate and collaborative partnerships create a welcoming environment where companies are finding their competitive advantage. New and existing companies benefit from Mississippi’s streamlined one-stop permitting, competitive energy and operating costs, a robust transportation infrastructure, and a highly skilled workforce.

Mississippi understands that access to a superior workforce is a key factor that helps companies achieve the edge they need in today’s complex economy. The state’s commitment to developing a world-class workforce includes its network of 15 community colleges that provide customized workforce training solutions tailored to each company’s unique needs. Through this collaborative partnership Mississippi is able to deliver a ready-made workforce prepared to meet the production demands of manufacturers.

Yokohama Tire Company selected West Point, Miss., in April 2013 for its first U.S.-built commercial truck tire plant. The initial phase of this project will create 500 jobs with a company investment of $300 million, with future expansions projected to create 2,000 jobs and investments exceeding $1.2 billion. Yokohama collaborated with the state of Mississippi and East Mississippi Community College to provide specialized workforce training, including an on-site training center that will equip workers with the skills necessary to get the job done on day-one of production.

The state’s four research universities add to Mississippi’s competitive workforce advantage by offering access to the latest research and development advances across a broad spectrum of industry sectors, including specialized focus in aerospace, automotive, advanced materials, energy, and healthcare.

The abundance of R&D opportunities includes research centers at the state’s universities, like the Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems and the Raspet Flight Research Lab at Mississippi State University. As a matter of fact, the National Science Foundation recently ranked Mississippi State University as one of the nation’s top research universities. Other research centers include the Center for Manufacturing Excellence at the University of Mississippi, the Mississippi Polymer Institute at the University of Southern Mississippi, and Jackson State’s Institute for Applied Computational Studies.

Combined, Mississippi’s universities and community colleges are developing skilled workers that are focused on excellence and who take pride in a job well done. To find your workforce advantage, visit www.mississippi.org or call the Locate Mississippi team at 1-800-360-3323.