Howard Technology Solutions is one of the largest employers in Mississippi’s Pine Belt region, being headquartered in Laurel and serving as a worldwide leader in tech products. To address a growing number of jobs within the company, leaders made public Tuesday a new partnership with William Carey University.
According to a news release, WCU will soon offer curriculum at its Hattiesburg and Traditions campuses that is “tailor-made” for students who may want to work at Howard. Through the Carey Institute for Excellence, the goal is to provide professional development training responsive to the needs of the local business community – especially at Howard.
“What our students learn through this new curriculum will serve them wherever they go,” WCU President Dr. Ben Burnett said. “But they’ll be especially well-suited for Howard Technology Solutions, and we feel that’s a great landing place for our graduates.”
Training as part of the curriculum will range from business networking and sales to client service and human resources.
David Perkins, executive vice president of sales for Howard Technology Solutions, believes the partnership will not only give students a leg up upon graduation but also result in better, more-prepared employees working for Howard.
“Our career people got with the curriculum people at William Carey and created a program to train their students in the areas we need, as far as hiring people for different job classifications,” he explained.
Burnett said that the partnership could also encourage Howard employees who may want to continue their education to take advantage of programs at WCU.
“We welcome current Howard employees who want to strengthen their skillsets,” he said.
Similar announcements are expected to be made by WCU in the future with university officials currently working with the city of Hattiesburg and local military units to develop learning modules that fit their specific needs. The idea, according to the release, is to streamline students into becoming successful professionals.
