Hinds Community College’s Vicksburg-Warren Campus is seeing growth as people are registering to further their education. Plus, local high school students are able to take advantage of having college level courses and facilities nearby.

Dean Marvin Moak told the Lions Club Wednesday as the school grows, officials are looking to expand course offerings and the facilities to accommodate area needs.

“I’m extremely excited to be starting my third year as the dean for the Vicksburg campus,” he said. “We’ve had a tremendous amount of growth in that time.”

The community college has partnered with the Vicksburg Warren School District on many projects dating back to 45 years ago. Hinds provides a facility for two district-provided engineering courses and the new River City Early College High School, a dual enrollment program for high school students to get college credit and career technical education.

“Thanks to working with Mr. Shealy and the school district we’ve seen a phenomenal growth in career technical students coming to the Vicksburg campus,” Moak said. “Last year we had more than 500 students, and this year it looks like we’ll have more than that.”

Some career technical education courses at Hinds offer dual enrollment to students, which allows the student to get high school and college credit from the course.

“So when they graduate they have some credit towards college,” Moak said. “Then we’re having the program in the evening time. So after they graduate from school, they can still go have their job and then come back to school in the evening time and finish up their certifications and expand their knowledge.”

In addition to traditional college course offerings, career technical courses are also offered on the college level. These courses include welding, industrial maintenance, early childhood development and culinary arts.

The school has developed partnerships with industries like Ergon and Big River Ship Builders, who want to work with the school’s welding and carpentry students.

“We’re extremely excited about that,” he said.

Students who didn’t graduate from high school can enter a GED and college credit career technical program simultaneously.

“My mission is to make sure not only the high school students, not only the college students but the workforce has the opportunity for training as well,” Moak said.

Forklift certification and Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, training are other courses offered for workforce instruction.

“The better trained the employees are, the more profitable the businesses are and the longer those businesses are going to be vital in this community,” he said.

Moak is positive about the direction and growth of the school.

“A lot of things are going on, and I’m just thankful to be a part of it,” he said.