Meridian Community College inaugurated its new Transportation Technology Training Center with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday. This facility aims to provide hands-on training in automotive and diesel technology, equipping students for careers in high-demand sectors while addressing the workforce requirements of employers in East Mississippi.
“While we’re certainly excited about this facility, the beautiful classrooms, the state-of-the-art equipment, what we’re really celebrating today is opportunity,” said MCC President Dr. Tom Huebner. “Opportunity for our students, for our local businesses and industries and opportunity for our region.”
Transformed Facility
The center is housed in a renovated automotive repair facility, formerly known as the College Park automotive building. It features specialized classrooms and equipment designed to provide students with practical experience in the transportation industry’s systems and technologies.
MCC’s Automotive Technology program prepares students for careers as automotive technicians and mechanics, offering hands-on instruction in diagnosing, servicing, and repairing modern vehicles, which include complex computer-controlled systems. Students can attain an Associate of Applied Science degree through this program.
The Diesel Mechanic Technology program at MCC provides a two-semester certificate, training students to maintain and repair commercial trucks, agricultural tractors, construction equipment, and other diesel-powered machinery. The program covers critical areas such as engines, powertrains, and hydraulic systems, with training aligned to national certification standards.
Additionally, the center is part of MCC’s broader strategy for expanding transportation technology education, with future prospects in aviation maintenance.
Mike Acord, a diesel technology instructor at MCC, emphasized the program’s role in preparing students for real-world jobs. “This program will help them be prepared to go into the real world and make a real good living,” he said. “I teach them that, hey, you can make money. You can save money. Because you can work on your own equipment and save money. You wouldn’t have to pay a repair facility.”
Funding and Partnerships
The establishment of the center was made possible through a combination of state and federal funding, including a $2 million special state appropriation for construction, approximately $615,000 in federal funds for equipment, and a $475,000 grant from the Southeast Crescent Regional Commission’s State Economic and Infrastructure Development program. Notably, MCC was the sole educational institution in Mississippi awarded funding during this grant cycle.
In collaboration with nine local employers, the center is expected to help mitigate workforce shortages, foster job creation, and enhance the region’s transportation industry. College officials estimate that the center will support 159 new jobs and generate $32.9 million in regional investments.
Josh Waters, vice president of WATERS International Trucks, Truck and Tractor, noted the program’s potential impact, stating, “What we have in this program will make a huge difference for our region.”
“We’re preparing students to become the very professionals that industry needs,” Dr. Huebner added.
Enrollment Statistics
This year, MCC limited enrollment in the diesel program to 15 students, attracting 19 applicants and leaving four on a waiting list. Acord mentioned that the new facility provides enhanced opportunities for hands-on training compared to the program’s previous location.
“Actually having room to spread things out to be able to have more hands-on,” Acord said. “Hands-on is where it’s at. You can talk about something all day long in the classroom. But until you put your hands on it, you really don’t understand it.”
