in Sunflower County, in which Indianola is
located, includes more than 15,000 workers, and the commuter
workforce consists of approximately 133,000. Indianola’s workforce is balanced among manufacturing, services,
wholesale/retail trade and government sectors. This provides for a
stable economic environment during periods of fluctuation nationally.
The region’s competitively priced manufacturing labor has fostered
growth and diversification within the manufacturing sector. Average
hourly earnings have continued to hold steady at roughly 75% of the
national average.
Right-to-work and Wages
As one of seven states with the right-to-work law in the constitution,
Mississippi historically has good working relationships between
management and labor. Lost work time due to strikes in the state is
lower than the average for the Southeast, and less than half that of the
United States. Mississippi has less than 6% union membership. This
compares to a national average of nearly 15%. Wage rates are also
competitive, directly corresponding to the state's lower-than-average
living and business costs.
Workforce Development
The Charles W. Capps, Jr. Technology Center is a workforce education center operated by Mississippi Delta Community
College. Located on U.S. Highway 82 in Indianola, its primary purpose
is to focus on the training, education, and skills improvement needs of
businesses and industries. The Capps Center offers short-term classes,
customized training for business and industry, nationally recognized
certifications, and job-readiness training for those entering the
workforce.
Incentives
The Mississippi Legislature provides state income tax credits for
businesses in Mississippi that provide basic skills training
(job-related training in reading, writing, or math) or job re-training
for their employees. Qualified businesses can be involved in
manufacturing, warehousing, distributing, processing and refining. The
available tax credit per year is up to 25% of the business’s qualified
training expenses.
For more information on eligibility for these tax credits, contact the
local Workforce Investment Network (WIN) Job Center at 662-887-2502 or the Capps Technology Center at 662-887-2876.
For more information on incentives and workforce, see
the Economic Development District of Sunflower County.
