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The Pearl/Rankin Career and Technical Center at ��«Ӱҵ’s Rankin Campus is the state’s best for 2017.

Presented annually by the Mississippi Construction Education Foundation, the prestigious Career and Technical Center of Excellence Award recognizes commitment and innovation across all vocational construction programs.

Valerie Barton, center, director of the Pearl/Rankin Career and Technical Center at ��«Ӱҵ’s Rankin Campus, accepts her center’s selection as the state’s best from the Mississippi Construction Education Foundation. Joining her at the recent awards banquet are MCEF representatives, from left, Brent Bean, Gary Beeland, Barton, Dianna Zendejas and Lauren Hunt.

At the forefront of the Pearl/Rankin CTC mission is a passion to equip students with the skills they need for successful occupations. To make that happen, the center is building a foundation around a construction curriculum that connects throughout its 15 career programs of study.

“We have seen firsthand the strides that Pearl/Rankin CTC is making to increase opportunities for students,” said MCEF President Mike Barkett. “Their administration and instructors are to be commended for the many ways they are accelerating the pace of improvement to ensure that students gain the knowledge and skills necessary for future success.”

Valerie Barton, director of the Pearl/Rankin CTC, accepted the award on behalf of her center at the recent Mississippi Associated Builders & Contractor’s Merit Awards Banquet.

“If Mississippi is going to have the skilled workforce that’s needed for tomorrow, we must encourage and train those workers today,” said Barkett. “We congratulate Pearl/Rankin CTC for going above and beyond to prepare our students for career and technical professions and for ensuring that Mississippi has the resources required to support its growing construction and manufacturing industries.”

The mission of the non-profit MCEF is to promote careers, recruit capable individuals and train a quality workforce for the construction industry in the state of Mississippi. MCEF also offers workforce training and credentialing in construction, industrial maintenance and manufacturing trades.

��«Ӱҵ is celebrating its 100^th year of Community Inspired Service in 2017. ��«Ӱҵ opened in September 1917 first as an agricultural high school and admitted college students for the first time in 1922, with the first class graduating in 1927. In 1982 ��«Ӱҵ Junior College and Utica Junior College merged, creating the ��«Ӱҵ District. Today, as Mississippi’s largest community college, ��«Ӱҵ is a comprehensive institution with six locations. ��«Ӱҵ offers quality, affordable educational opportunities with academic programs of study leading to seamless university transfer and career and technical programs teaching job-ready skills. To learn more, visit or call 1.800.��«ӰҵCC.