The federal Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) gives state and local officials new authority and flexibility for utilizing federal job training funds to set up market driven workforce investment systems.

This initiative brings public systems providing services such as job search assistance, employment, postsecondary technical training, job training and retraining and other labor market aids together with closer links to the realities of changing job markets.

Through WIA, adults and dislocated workers age 18 and over receive increasing levels of service via WIN Job Centers. WIA established these centers as a "one stop" delivery system that provides core (basic) and intensive employment services as well as access to other employment and training services.

Northwest Mississippi Community College operates three full-time and three part-time WIN Job Centers in Calhoun, DeSoto, Lafayette, Marshall, Tate and Yalobusha counties. An access point center (computer/internet access only) is located in Benton County at Ashland.