Committee advances 'Upscale Mississippi' pilot to subsidize adult workforce training

Doctor Taylor of the Office of Workforce Development described Upscale Mississippi as a targeted, last-dollar scholarship pilot intended to encourage adults into high-demand career-technical pathways at public community colleges. "If there's things that we need more of, let's incentivize the students until such time that we close the gap," Taylor said, adding the pilot will focus on priority sectors and be subject to legislative appropriation.

Committee members asked about eligibility (public community colleges only), the stipend size (Taylor cited an average of about $1,100 per student), and program scale. Taylor estimated the pilot would not serve more than "5 or 6,000 students" at steady state in priority sectors and repeatedly emphasized the program is subject to appropriation and roll-out details. She cited out-of-state evidence of meaningful adult-enrollment gains (a 38% figure for another state's program) but said she would verify that data point for the committee.