Special to The Star

    MAYHEW – East Mississippi Community College will host two information sessions Dec. 21 at its Golden Triangle campus regarding future job opportunities at Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Mississippi.

    The sessions will begin at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. and are open to the public. No job applications or resumes will be accepted at the information sessions.

    “This is strictly information on how individuals can prepare themselves for the job opportunities that will occur with Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Mississippi,” said Dr. Raj Shaunak, vice president for Workforce and Community Services with EMCC’s Manufacturing Technology and Engineering Division.

    Representatives from Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Mississippi, EMCC and other organizations will be on hand to present information to the public.

    Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Mississippi broke ground on a future plant in Clay County in September, embarking on Phase I of its construction plan which includes a $300 million investment on behalf of Yokohama and will create an estimated 500 jobs. If Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Mississippi’s full four-phase plan is realized, it will bring $1.2 billion in investment to the Golden Triangle and create approximately 2,000 jobs.

    “This is a great gift to our community just before Christmas, because since 2007 we’ve heard primarily negative news coming from West Point and Clay County relative to employment,” said Shaunak.

    The Sara Lee food processing plant in West Point closed in January 2007, costing the community 2,000 jobs.

    Shaunak credited the formation of the Golden Triangle Regional Economic Development LINK and its CEO Joe Max Higgins, along with West Point Mayor Robbie Robinson and Clay County Supervisor Shelton Deanes as major players in attracting Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Mississippi to Clay County.

    EMCC will conduct training and education for potential Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Mississippi employees at its Golden Triangle campus and its West Point Center location. Shaunak said he received instructions to devote his division’s full attention to the task of training citizens for employment in the Golden Triangle.

    “EMCC President Dr. Rick Young has challenged the Manufacturing Technology and Engineering Division to spare no resources in helping members of the Golden Triangle community to be gainfully employed,” he said.

    For more information, contact EMCC’s Manufacturing Technology and Engineering Division at (662) 243-2659 for the Golden Triangle campus and (662) 243-2647 for the West Point Center, or visit EMCC online at eastms.edu.

    The Golden Triangle campus is located at 8731 S. Frontage Road in Mayhew.