Paula Merritt / The Meridian StarMeridian Community College-Riley Workforce Development Center's industrial maintenance classroom.

Nearly 11 years after buying the old Wal-Mart building on Highway 19 North, Meridian Community College has turned the building into the MCC-Riley Workforce Development Center.

The newly renovated 65,000-square-foot building, designed by Meridian architect B.B. Archer, will open Monday, said Joseph Knight, MCC dean for Community and Business Development.

“We will actually start using the building Monday and transitioning some of our existing classes that are on campus,” Knight said. “All of our office personnel plan to be moved in by Friday and be ready to start on Monday morning.”

In 2006, the college made a lot of local people happy when it bought the old building – it meant one less large abandoned building in the city. The college also brought smiles to many faces when it announced the building would be converted into a workforce training center, because more training opportunities brings the potential to attract more jobs.

MCC President Dr. Scott Elliott said the opening of the center is a major step forward in the community’s economic and community development efforts.

“The center will be a venue that people on the forefront of recruiting new industry – like Bill Hannah with the EMBDC, Mayor (Percy) Bland, and The Lauderdale County Board of Supervisors – can showcase where job training is concerned,” Elliott said. “When you are in the business of recruiting new industry, the death knell is to speak in terms of what you are planning to do. The communities and state that we are competing against for new industry aren’t planning to do anything.

“They already have contemporary workforce training centers in place. Now, we can say the same. We are no longer in a disadvantaged position.” 

Elliott said the center would have never come to fruition without the support of the Riley Foundation, the board of supervisors, Tommy Dulaney and the Economic Development Administration, a federal agency that helps with local economic development. 

“Previously, MCC was trying to develop the facility on a piecemeal basis,” Elliott said. “We simply did not have the money in our own coffers to make a quantum leap on the project. Tommy Dulaney really got us moving when he donated the welding center, then the Riley Foundation became the catalyst to get us over the hump. MCC is very appreciative of their support, and we will do all within our power to make their investment pay off for the community through our job training efforts.

“One thing I’m really happy about – I think we’ve finally put the descriptor ‘the old Wal-Mart building’ in our rearview mirror. The finished product is something in which I believe the community can take great pride. With my apologies to our English teachers, it ain’t Wal-Mart anymore.”

Knight said more than 13,697 people were trained in 2016.

“We will continue this progress, and are excited to have such an excellent facility to utilize,” Knight said. “Again, our focus is on helping local companies and individuals improve job skills (technical and soft) for three reasons: In order to keep their current job (because technology changes and we must increase our knowledge); In order to get a better job (upgraded skills produce better sustainable wages); in order to re-tool (dislocated workers find themselves needing a different skill set for a different career).