25 Quitman County Inmates Earn Forklift Certification Through MDOC Partnership

Twenty-five participants at the Quitman Community Work Center completed industry-recognized forklift certification through a partnership between the Mississippi Department of Corrections and Coahoma Community College, with the program wrapping up Friday, March 6.

The training provided hands-on instruction specifically designed to prepare participants for employment after they return to their communities. MDOC officials said the certification builds both practical skills and the confidence participants will need when entering the workforce.

The Mississippi Department of Corrections framed the program as part of its broader push to reduce recidivism. Officials said initiatives like the Quitman forklift training create pathways to meaningful employment for people preparing to leave incarceration, addressing one of the central challenges facing returning citizens: finding stable, skilled work that pays a living wage.

MDOC officials also credited Coahoma Community College specifically for making the training possible, citing the partnership as a model for how corrections facilities and educational institutions can collaborate on rehabilitation and workforce development. The certification participants received is described as industry-recognized, meaning it carries weight with employers beyond the walls of the Quitman facility.

The Quitman Community Work Center, which houses individuals serving sentences under MDOC supervision, sits at the center of a county where workforce development resources are limited. A forklift certification opens doors in warehousing, manufacturing, and logistics, sectors that consistently carry demand for certified operators across Mississippi and the broader region.

MDOC has not released details on the specific certifying body behind the credential, the number of training hours involved, or whether job placement assistance accompanies program completion. Those details, along with outcome data on past participants in similar programs, would offer a clearer picture of how effectively certifications like this one translate into employment after release.