While folks in Madison County are salivating at the likelihood that Nissan Motor Company will bring a new plant into their backyards, people here in the Miss-Lou may find it easy to ask: Where’s our auto plant?

Perhaps the question we should be asking ourselves is: What steps do we need to take to prepare for the next Nissan plant looking to relocate?

Rather than sitting around crying over the plant that isn’t coming to Adams County, our community needs to focus on the future.

While &uot;smokestack&uot; industries are what we all typically think of when we discuss industrial economic development, in today’s world the smokestacks are quickly being replaced by high-tech industries.

While the state’s efforts to put an Internet-ready computer in each classroom is a start, it is certainly not all that we need. Computers are a great start, but they don’t do much good if skilled people aren’t available to operate them.

And solving that dilemma is perhaps the most obvious thing our community can do to work to improve our prospects with potential developers. Most developers are looking for an educated workforce living in a vibrant community with good healthcare and a wonderful quality of life.

Sounds difficult?

It’s not.

The key is simply a matter of taking things one step at a time. Educational opportunities is perhaps the biggest challenge we face. We need to utilize the expertise at Alcorn State University and Copiah-Lincoln Community College and strive to make our public schools the best in the state.

If we work together and focus on the goal of bringing more jobs to our area, nothing can stop us.