MS HB1662

Transitions the Office of Workforce Development's career coaching program in middle and high schools from a pilot program to a permanent, long-term implementation, subject to legislative appropriation.

Removes the requirement that Mississippi Allied Health College and Career Navigators be registered nurses with at least two years of nursing experience, instead authorizing the Office of Workforce Development to set eligibility requirements through rules and regulations.

Creates the Individual Training Account Workforce Reinforcement Assistance (ITA-WRAP) Program, directed by the Office of Workforce Development, to provide education and training grants to community colleges, universities, and local workforce areas for citizens seeking employment in high-wage, high-demand industries with documented workforce shortages, with the Department of Employment Security serving as fiscal agent.

Authorizes the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services to offer paid internships to college juniors and seniors pursuing bachelor's degrees that qualify them as rehabilitation or benefit program specialists, covering tuition, books, and fees, with recipients required to maintain a 3.0 GPA, work at least 300 hours each summer, and commit to post-graduation employment for one year per semester of support received, with 10% annual interest penalties for noncompliance.