Quitman County promotes forklift certification class at Empowerment Center

Quitman County is pushing a forklift certification class that can turn a few hours of training into a credential employers often want in warehouses, on farms and in logistics work. The county’s posting says the course combines classroom instruction and hands-on driving practice so participants can learn to operate a forklift safely and professionally.

The class is set for Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, at 9 a.m. at the Quitman Co. Empowerment Center, 100 Roger Road, Marks, MS 38646. The cost is $50.00, and the county lists Catrina Hardy as the contact at 662-621-4301 or chardy@coahomacc.edu. The notice says residents can “Earn your certification in hours!”

Coahoma Community College’s Workforce Development Center says it serves Bolivar, Coahoma, Quitman, Tallahatchie and Tunica counties and builds classes by working closely with the WIN Job Center and area businesses and industries. Its Industrial Lift Operations training covers forklift, pallet jack and hand lift operations, and the college says the course is designed around OSHA standard requirements for powered industrial trucks.

That matters in Quitman County because forklift skills fit the work that keeps goods moving across the Delta. Employers in warehousing, shipping, agriculture, manufacturing support and distribution regularly need workers who can handle equipment safely and keep freight, feed, supplies and materials in motion. For residents looking for a quicker path into steadier work, the class offers a low-cost credential without requiring travel to a distant campus.

The county’s promotion also fits into a broader regional training push already underway with Coahoma Community College and the Mississippi Department of Corrections. Quitman Community Work Center completed forklift training with Coahoma Community College on March 6, 2026. MDOC said on March 10 that the training helps prepare participants for employment opportunities upon reentry, and on May 1 it said the forklift vocational program provides industry-recognized certification while meeting workforce needs in the Mississippi Delta.

By April 23, Coahoma Community College said it had celebrated its 100th forklift certification through the MDOC partnership, showing the program had already reached a meaningful scale before the Marks class was posted. For Quitman County residents, the next step is straightforward: contact Catrina Hardy, register for the Aug. 6 session, and use the Empowerment Center class as a direct route to work-ready certification.