Opportunity Now!
Opportunity Now! (ON!) is a regional strategy, led by Workforce Mid-South, designed to create an accelerated training program for individuals needing to gain sufficient knowledge and/or skills to qualify for jobs in one of three sectors, 1) Logistics Technology; 2) Advanced Manufacturing; 3) Construction. ON! Is striving to establish at least three Accelerated Skills Training (AST) Centers serving East Arkansas, North Mississippi, and West Tennessee. ON! AST Centers will deliver rapid credentialing opportunities through training programs in 4 to 24 weeks.
The University of Memphis is one of three backbone organizations leading one of the sectors, Logistics Technology Sector. Through industry partnerships in the logistics sector, stakeholder companies are coming together to create efficient, effective credentialing programs designed to help individuals meet employer’s skills needs, fill open vacancies for higher paying jobs, and combat the region’s economic stagnation resulting in greater economic mobility and growth.
The ON! Strategy is to train over 1860 students during the implementation phase, growing to serve 10,000 students over the next 10 years. The anticipated economic impact is expected to be $2.51 billion.
Whether you are an employer, or an individual interested in the Opportunity Now! initiative, you can contact Andy Shiles, Logistics Technology Sector Coordinator by email at akshiles@memphis.edu.