(https://gmpg.org/xfn/11) (https://fonts.googleapis.com) (https://fonts.gstatic.com)  (../../../fonts.googleapis.com/css@family=Oswald%253Awght@200..700&display=swap.css) (../../../fonts.googleapis.com/css@family=Oswald%253Awght@200..700&display=swap.css)  (../../../fonts.googleapis.com/css@family=Noto+Sans%253A300,400,400i,700%257CNoto+Serif%253A400,700%257COpen+Sans%253A300,300i,400,400i,500,700&display=swap.css) (../../../cdn.jsdelivr.net/jquery.slick/1.6.0/slick-theme.css) (../../../cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/font-awesome/7.0.0/css/all.min.css) (../../../cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/font-awesome/7.0.0/css/all.min.css)   MDES unveils new virtual Navigator Pod to boost workforce - The Dispatch  (index.html)                  (https://static.addtoany.com/)  (https://e4sh3cjh5t7.exactdn.com/)  (https://e4sh3cjh5t7.exactdn.com/)  (The Dispatch » Feed) (https://cdispatch.com/feed/)  (The Dispatch » iCal Feed) (https://cdispatch.com/events/?ical=1)  (../../wp-content/plugins/leaky-paywall/css/lp-list-builder.css@ver=5.2.1.css)  (../../wp-content/plugins/leaky-paywall/css/issuem-leaky-paywall.css@ver=5.2.1.css)  (../../wp-content/plugins/leaky-paywall-trials/css/style.css@ver=1.9.8.css)  (../../wp-content/themes/commercial_dispatch_v3/css/theme.min.css@ver=.1767201025.css)  (../../wp-content/themes/commercial_dispatch_v3/css/style.css@ver=1788273202.css)  (../../wp-content/plugins/add-to-any/addtoany.min.css@ver=1.16.css)  (https://cdispatch.com/wp-json/tribe/events/v1/)  (../../../e4sh3cjh5t7.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/cropped-dispatch-red-d-logo-2.png@strip=all&resize=32,32)  (../../../e4sh3cjh5t7.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/cropped-dispatch-red-d-logo-2.png@strip=all&resize=192,192)  (https://e4sh3cjh5t7.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/cropped-dispatch-red-d-logo-2.png?strip=all&resize=180%2C180)      (index.html#content) Skip to content (Site search)  (index.html#) Sections    (https://cdispatch.com/obituaries/) Obituaries  (https://cdispatch.com/eedition/) eEdition  (https://ads.cdispatch.com) Classifieds  (https://cdispatch.com/events/) Events  (https://donate.cdispatch.com) Donate     (https://cdispatch.com/) (Dispatch Mobile Logo)   (https://cdispatch.com/subscribe/?utm_source=website&utm_medium=button&utm_campaign=offer_button&utm_content=top) Subscribe  (https://cdispatch.com/login-page) Login      (search...)    October 10, 2026     QUICK LINKS (https://cdispatch.com/obituaries/) Obituaries  (https://cdispatch.com/eedition/) eEdition  (https://ads.cdispatch.com) Classifieds  (https://cdispatch.com/events/) Events  (https://donate.cdispatch.com) Donate   (https://cdispatch.com/news/) News  (https://cdispatch.com/news/columbus-lowndes-county/) Columbus & Lowndes County  (https://cdispatch.com/news/starkville-oktibbeha-county/) Starkville & Oktibbeha County  (https://cdispatch.com/news/west-point-clay-county/) West Point & Clay County  (https://cdispatch.com/news/area/) Area  (https://cdispatch.com/news/state/) State  (https://cdispatch.com/news/national/) National  (https://cdispatch.com/news/business/) Business   (https://cdispatch.com/sports/) Sports  (https://cdispatch.com/sports/high-school-sports/) High School Sports  (https://cdispatch.com/sports/college-sports/) College Sports  (https://cdispatch.com/sports/local-columns-sports/) Local Columns   (https://cdispatch.com/eedition/) eEdition   (https://cdispatch.com/events/) Events   (https://cdispatch.com/opinions/) Opinions  (https://cdispatch.com/opinions/local-columns/) Local Columns  (https://cdispatch.com/opinions/letters-to-the-editor/) Letters to the Editor  (https://cdispatch.com/opinions/roses-thorns/) Roses & Thorns  (https://cdispatch.com/opinions/dispatch-editorials/) Dispatch Editorials   (https://cdispatch.com/obituaries/) Obituaries   (https://cdispatch.com/lifestyles/) Lifestyles  (https://cdispatch.com/lifestyles/columns-lifestyle/) Columns  (https://cdispatch.com/lifestyles/entertainment/) Entertainment  (https://cdispatch.com/lifestyles/food/) Food  (https://cdispatch.com/lifestyles/transitions-announcements/) Transitions & Announcements  (https://cdispatch.com/lifestyles/community/) Community  (https://cdispatch.com/lifestyles/religion/) Religion   (http://ads.cdispatch.com/) Classifieds   (https://cdispatch.com/gallery/) Photo Galleries   (https://cdispatch.com/public-records/) Public Records  (https://cdispatch.com/public-records/building-permits/) Building Permits  (https://cdispatch.com/public-records/marriages-divorces/) Marriages & Divorces   (https://cdispatch.com/subscriber-profile/) My Account        October 10, 2026   (https://cdispatch.com/) (Dispatch Logo) Open eyes, open minds.     Serving Columbus & Starkville, Mississippi      (https://ms.live/) Watch MS Live for Weather Updates      (https://cdstg1922.wpenginepowered.com/) Home  » (https://cdstg1922.wpenginepowered.com/news/) News  » MDES unveils new virtual Navigator Pod to boost workforce   (https://cdispatch.com/news/columbus-lowndes-county/) Columbus & Lowndes County   MDES unveils new virtual Navigator Pod to boost workforce By (https://cdispatch.com/author/bsimmons/) Braden Simmons  • 22 hours ago  • 4 mins to read   (MDES unveils new virtual Navigator Pod to boost workforce)   Daphne James, right, director of workforce services with the Mississippi Department of Employment Security, speaks Thursday with Javion Johnson, a benefit program specialist, in the Navigator Pod, an encased computer system that offers live meetings with MDES representatives, at the Workforce Investment Network Job Center at the East Mississippi Community College Communiversity. The job center unveiled the program’s first pod, which will help more residents to be seen quickly and efficiently for employment assistance at the WIN Job Center. Braden Simmons/Dispatch Staff  As the Golden Triangle attracts new industry development, a need for more workers is following. East Mississippi Community College President Scott Alsobrooks said that’s what makes programs like the recently developed Mississippi Department of Employment Security’s Navigator key to connecting those industries with area workers. MDES officials, EMCC leaders and others gathered for a ribbon cutting for the program’s first Navigator Pod, an encased computer system that offers live meetings with MDES representatives, in the Workforce Investment Network Job Center at the Communiversity on Highway 82. “People come in (to EMCC) and want to get a skill to get some of these jobs, and now it’ll go right to these jobs,” Alsobrooks said during a ribbon-cutting event Thursday at The Communiversity. “… I know that if we’re going to land more PACCARs and more steel mills and more aluminum mills and on and on and on, we have got to have a strong workforce. We can’t build a strong workforce without these partnerships.” MDES’ Navigator program, launched in October 2025, is a digital access and virtual workforce tool that provides live services with MDES program specialists, like resumè building, practice interviews and job applications. The program also helps residents to locate local job openings and hiring events. While the same services in the program are also offered at 28 MDES WIN Job Centers across the state, Navigator was created with the idea of assisting in underserved and hotbed areas by bringing representatives to job seekers through the computer system, said Darby Lowery, MDES Navigator program coordinator. (https://cdispatch.com/news/mdes-unveils-new-virtual-navigator-pod-to-boost-workforce/attachment/bs-pod-2/) ()    Terry Treadaway, left, director of workforce development at Three Rivers Planning and Development District; Scott Alsobrooks, East Mississippi Community College president; and Bill Ashley, executive director for Mississippi Department of Employment Security cut the ribbon Thursday on a new Navigator Pod, an encased computer system that offers live meetings with MDES representatives, at the WIN Job Center at EMCC’s Communiversity. Braden Simmons/Dispatch Staff    “The primary places we want to go next with it when it comes to expansion are those communities where we (do not) have a presence with a WIN Job Center,” Lowery said. “That’s where we’re trying to target first, and then we will go into communities that maybe already have … centers, but this could be like an extra hand (for them).” The Navigator Pod at the Communiversity, which cost between $15,000 and $20,000, will serve as a test run before the system is considered for other areas of the state, Lowery said. While MDES covered the cost of the Communiversity’s pod, Lowery expects partner agencies on future pods will help split the construction cost. The WIN Job Center at EMCC services a six-county area, which includes Clay, Noxubee, Oktibbeha, Lowndes, Webster and Choctaw. With that large of a service area, the center typically sees about 100 residents a week, which can sometimes lead to longer lines for employment services and assistance, said Nicholas Evans, northern regional director of workforce services for MDES. But with the new Navigator Pod, applicants can be seen faster and in a more private space than in the general office, Evans said. “It’s going to help because we only have one manager and I have three staff people, so sometimes we might have people waiting,” Evans said. “If the person is waiting … they might go to the pod. So it kind of helps with the flow. Also, we (can) use it like another person.” Evans said he believes neighboring areas like Oktibbeha, Clay and Noxubee counties could benefit from having their own Navigator systems to allow for better access to more convenient assistance. “We can place navigators anywhere,” Evans said. “It’s … a plug and play. If there’s a need in the community and a Navigator is needed, we can put one there. Because every county does not have a WIN Job Center, so there’d be opportunity for us to have a presence in those counties that we don’t have (currently).” (https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/copy_link?linkurl=https%3A%2F%2Fcdispatch.com%2Fnews%2Fmdes-unveils-new-virtual-navigator-pod-to-boost-workforce%2F&linkname=MDES%20unveils%20new%20virtual%20Navigator%20Pod%20to%20boost%20workforce) (Copy Link)  (https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/email?linkurl=https%3A%2F%2Fcdispatch.com%2Fnews%2Fmdes-unveils-new-virtual-navigator-pod-to-boost-workforce%2F&linkname=MDES%20unveils%20new%20virtual%20Navigator%20Pod%20to%20boost%20workforce) (Email)  (https://www.addtoany.com/share)      You can help your community Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 33 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.   (https://cdispatch.com/subscribe/?utm_source=website&utm_medium=button&utm_campaign=offer_button&utm_content=below-article-cta) Subscribe     READER FAVORITES (https://cdispatch.com/news/lowndes-oktibbeha-sheriffs-offices-miss-ice-agreement-deadline/) (Lowndes, Oktibbeha sheriff’s offices miss ICE agreement deadline) (Lowndes, Oktibbeha sheriff’s offices miss ICE agreement deadline)    (https://cdispatch.com/news/lowndes-oktibbeha-sheriffs-offices-miss-ice-agreement-deadline/) (Lowndes, Oktibbeha sheriff’s offices miss ICE agreement deadline) Lowndes, Oktibbeha sheriff’s offices miss ICE agreement deadline  By (https://cdispatch.com/author/bsimmons/) Braden Simmons  • 2 days ago    (https://cdispatch.com/news/starkville-approves-2-1-million-landfill-remediation-effort/) (Starkville approves $2.1 million landfill remediation effort) (Starkville approves $2.1 million landfill remediation effort)    (https://cdispatch.com/news/starkville-approves-2-1-million-landfill-remediation-effort/) (Starkville approves $2.1 million landfill remediation effort) Starkville approves $2.1 million landfill remediation effort  By (https://cdispatch.com/author/bsimmons/) Braden Simmons  • 2 days ago    (https://cdispatch.com/news/justice-in-mississippi-murder-charges-against-tameshia-shelton-dropped/) (Justice in Mississippi: Murder charges against Tameshia Shelton dropped) (Justice in Mississippi: Murder charges against Tameshia Shelton dropped)    (https://cdispatch.com/news/justice-in-mississippi-murder-charges-against-tameshia-shelton-dropped/) (Justice in Mississippi: Murder charges against Tameshia Shelton dropped) Justice in Mississippi: Murder charges against Tameshia Shelton dropped  By (https://cdispatch.com/author/bsimmons/) Braden Simmons  • 2 days ago    (https://cdispatch.com/news/in-memoriam-eternal-optimist-tireless-needmore-advocate-passes-away-at-93/) (In Memoriam: ‘Eternal optimist,’ tireless Needmore advocate passes away at 93) (In Memoriam: ‘Eternal optimist,’ tireless Needmore advocate passes away at 93)    (https://cdispatch.com/news/in-memoriam-eternal-optimist-tireless-needmore-advocate-passes-away-at-93/) (In Memoriam: ‘Eternal optimist,’ tireless Needmore advocate passes away at 93) In Memoriam: ‘Eternal optimist,’ tireless Needmore advocate passes away at 93  By (https://cdispatch.com/author/slim-smith/) Slim Smith  • 22 hours ago              (https://cdispatch.com/popular-content/) Popular  (https://cdispatch.com/news/lowndes-oktibbeha-sheriffs-offices-miss-ice-agreement-deadline/) Lowndes, Oktibbeha sheriff’s offices miss ICE agreement deadline  October 8, 2026     (https://cdispatch.com/news/starkville-considers-pausing-development-of-car-maintenance-businesses/) Starkville considers pausing development of car maintenance businesses  October 7, 2026     (https://cdispatch.com/news/mary-means-business-dawg-house-44-opening-in-starkville-this-month/) Mary Means Business: Dawg House 44 opening in Starkville this month  October 8, 2026     (https://cdispatch.com/news/council-could-crack-down-on-trucks-using-college-street/) Council could crack down on trucks using College Street  October 7, 2026         On This Day in 2025  (https://cdispatch.com/news/hunt-monument-historic-marker-unveiling-planned-for-oct-30/) (Hunt monument, historic marker unveiling planned for Oct. 30)    (https://cdispatch.com/news/hunt-monument-historic-marker-unveiling-planned-for-oct-30/) Hunt monument, historic marker unveiling planned for Oct. 30  October 10, 2025 By Cadence Harvey          Featured Podcasts  (https://www.buzzsprout.com/645052) (The C Dispatch Podcast)   (https://cdispatch.com/podcast/) (Between The Headlines Podcast)        (https://cdispatch.com/) (The Dispatch)   Serving Columbus & Starkville, Mississippi. (https://www.facebook.com/TheDispatch/)   (https://www.instagram.com/cdispatch/)   (https://x.com/cdispatch)    (https://cdispatch.com/about/) About  (https://cdispatch.com/tips/) Submit a Tip    Newsletter Our headlines, delivered to your inbox. Sign up for Morning Shot , our flagship daily briefing of the day's news.  (1)  Email address (you@example.com)  Sign up  ()   (https://cdispatch.com/newsletters/) See all newsletters → Free. Unsubscribe anytime.       Info (https://ads.cdispatch.com) Classifieds  (https://progressmag.com) Progress Magazine  (https://lowndesil.org) Free Books for Kids  (https://donate.cdispatch.com) Donate for Journalism     Contact (tel:6623282424) (662) 328-2424  Newsroom 516 Main Street Columbus, MS 39701 Mailing PO Box 511 Columbus, MS 39703       Copyright © 2026 Commercial Dispatch Publishing Co., Inc.  (https://cdispatch.com/terms/) Terms (https://cdispatch.com/privacy/) Privacy       Unlock this article. Just sign in. Have an account? Sign in. New here? Get more access in seconds. Email Address () (Enter your email)    Continue  Yes! I would like to receive content in my inbox.       Keep reading - subscribe today You're one step away from unlimited access to the most in-depth Golden Triangle reporting available. (https://cdispatch.com/subscribe/) Get Unlimited Access      (index.html#top) (ToTop)