Delta Health Alliance (DHA), a Mississippi coalition of innovative partnerships focusing on the health and education of those who make the Mississippi Delta their home, has partnered with verified identity platform Merit to bridge newly trained individuals with employment opportunities in their local communities.
These training opportunities are available through the Workforce Opportunities for Rural Communities grant or W.O.R.C. which was awarded through the U.S. Department of Labor. The Merit platform houses the digital credentials earned by graduates from Coahoma Community College and Mississippi Delta Community College short term medical skills and Early Childhood Development training programs.
“The W.O.R.C. program was A-1 every step of the way,” said Tyna Sims, a Clarksdale resident and recent graduate of Coahoma Community College’s phlebotomy course. Sims explained that the program’s career staff along with the Merit app assisted her while she was out searching for jobs. “The Delta Health Alliance program has helped me tremendously on my journey. Just amazing opportunities. I would tell anyone to definitely go for it,” she said. Sims is now employed with Fresenius Kidney Care in Southaven, Miss.
Allison Washington, associate vice president of Community Outreach at DHA, said Merit has provided an excellent platform for connecting students, who have completed workforce training, with employment opportunities in the Mississippi Delta.
“The mutual benefit of students being able to see jobs tailored to their individual credentials in the healthcare and early childhood sectors, alongside employment opportunities in the Mississippi Delta, is truly enriching the lives of many people,” said Washington.