In February the State of Mississippi recorded its lowest unemployment rate since the pandemic began.
Let me say that again. We have fewer unemployed people in this state this year than we had during any month in 2020.
So far, the numbers are looking pretty good. Nearly 2,700 jobs have been announced by business and industry planning to set up shop in the Magnolia State this year. We have factories, healthcare, transportation, restaurants and a variety of other business sectors frantically seeking workers so their businesses can pull out of the COVID pandemic doldrums.
But Mississippi and Clarksdale also finds itself needing workers to fill more jobs, specifically higher paying technical and specialized jobs.
Economic development and industrialist in this community have said time and time again Coahoma County doesn’t have enough qualified workers or enough people who want to work.
Can you imagine that?We have a politician around here who likes to tell employees in Clarksdale to go to work. I agree with him entirely.
Dirty Jobs
I started throwing papers when I was 10 years old. Papers were delivered every weekday afternoon – rain or shine, hot or cold. I also roofed houses, drove a casket delivery truck and worked with a yard landscaper, where I shoveled dirt, gravel and manure – lots of it.
My daddy got up every morning and was off to Columbus Air Force base at dawn. Then it was home to work on old houses, do mechanic work for local farmers or those projects around the house Momma pointed him to. He slept well, paid his bills, sang in the church choir and was never in a bit of trouble in his life.
My Daddy never made us work. It was understood and expected.
I don’t understand males – I won’t call them men – who can sit around a house and watch day-time TV. I don’t understand people who expect the check to come in the mail every month for years on end.I don’t understand people who want the good things in life, but don’t want to work!
Help wanted
A quick look at last week’s Clarksdale Press Register Classified Page shows help wanted ads for a nurse, librarian, pharmacy technician, school bus driver and truck drivers.
We recently ran an ad telling qualified nurses they can get a $3,000 signing bonus on their first day at work. That’s a nice down payment on a nice car and should be motivation for our high school graduates to seek a good education in healthcare.
We will soon begin planting soybean, cotton and rice around here. But it’s hard dirty work.
We have manufacturing plants who hire people daily. But you have to be able to pass a drug test.
We have good jobs in Coahoma County for good people, but you have to want to work.
This county has more than $2 million in unpaid fines and the No. 1 reason judges and law enforcement say those fines aren’t being paid is the culprit doesn’t have a job.
Before I boil over, I want to point out this community – specifically the WIN Job Center – has programs for people who want job training. Every college in a 100-mile radius offers scholarship, grants and loans for those wanting a degree. And most factories around here will pay for additional training if you will show up every day, on time and prove you want to work.
There is a better life out there – if you will work in the classroom, on the production line, or in a local office.
This country and this county are fed up with hardworking men and women paying for lazy folks living in public housing, driving fancy cars and swiping their EBT card at the grocery store with $50 manicured nails.
If we want things to change around here, we have to go to work.
Floyd Ingram is Editor of your Clarksdale Press Register. He can be found at work at his desk at 128 East Second Street or if you are too lazy to come downtown, call him at 456-3771.
