Facilitating Statewide Workforce Development Ecosystems with AccelerateMS

Thank you to Courtney Taylor, Deputy Director for Postsecondary Strategy at AccelerateMS and AMCC community leader, for joining this week’s Monday call to share the unique ecosystem approach that her state office is taking to better tie together relevant stakeholders around Mississippi. 

AMCC had the opportunity to visit Courtney in May of 2023 to see how new strategies and partnerships are already advancing the state’s workforce development priorities. AccelerateMS has organized its services through a heirarchy of “Ecosystem Coordinators”, which consists of ten full-time employees overseeing eight regional ecosystems through the state, facilitating network connections and state resources through the eight regions. 

AccelerateMS also helms a consortium of public, private and nonprofit organizations implementing their Defense Manufacturing Community Support Program (DMCSP) grant awarded through the Department of Defense’s Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation (OLDCC). The program, titled MS-SHIPS, is another way that Courtney and AccelerateMS are encouraging the long-term development of their manufacturing community and infusing the techniques of systems leadership into their activities to drive greater collective impact. 

Please reach out to Project Operations Director, David Van Siclen, should you wish to be connected with Courtney.