At the Nissan plant in Smyrna, Tenn., 5,400 workers produce 370,000 cars and light trucks a year. The workers make an average wage of $23 an hour and are consistently ranked as the most productive work force in the company.

    Nissan, too, feels it can find the labor it needs -- but in the Magnolia State. The Japanese carmaker will initially employ 3,300 people at its new $930 million manufacturing plant in Madison County, Miss., and it potentially will employ 4,000. But just prior to the announcement, the state made finding such labor a little easier.
      In September 2000, Gov. Ronnie Musgrove announced the formation of the Mississippi Workforce Investment System (WIN). The one-stop service delivery system integrates services from 14 different federal programs in local communities. WIN allows individuals to receive skill and aptitude assessments; obtain information about education and training services; receive help filing claims for unemployment insurance; evaluate eligibility for training and education programs or student financial aid; obtain job search and placement assistance; and receive job counseling.
      "This alliance with other state agencies reflects how serious we are about creating economic prosperity for the citizens of Mississippi," says J.C. Burns, executive director of the Mississippi Development Authority. "Employers will also benefit from the program by being able to locate job-ready skilled workers."
      Agencies participating in the program with the Mississippi Development Authority include the Mississippi Dept. of Human Services, the Dept. of Rehabilitation Services, Mississippi Employment Security Commission and the State Dept. of Education.
      Also in September, the state overwhelmingly approved the Advantage Mississippi plan, which improves incentives designed to attract high-paying jobs to the state. In terms of work-force development and labor opportunities, the new economic development plan included the Mississippi Advantage Jobs Act that allows qualified businesses to receive up to 4 percent of their employees' wages back at the end of each quarter as a rebate from the state tax commission.
      Advantage Mississippi allows the state more flexibility in making multiyear commitments for work-force training and retention support. Tax credit incentives are also available for high-tech, research and higher paying jobs through the new plan.
      In other work-force news, the U.S. Dept. of Labor increased funds to Mississippi from last year's $37.4 million to $62.8 million -- the largest increase in the nation. "Work-force development is a major component of the Advantage Mississippi Initiative," says Burns. "Mississippi has a quality work force, and this gives us the competitive advantage for better jobs."