Governor Tate Reeves recently announced Dr. Daniel “Deano” Harrison as Director of the Mississippi Office of Apprenticeship, also known as ApprenticeshipMS.
Harrison previously served as a Workforce Development Manager for AccelerateMS, where he focused on strengthening career pathways and expanding workforce opportunities across southern Mississippi.
He brings more than 20 years of experience in program management, recruitment and staffing. As Workforce Project Director at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Harrison developed workforce solutions in response to regional industry needs. At Singing River Health System, he played a key role in launching Mississippi’s first healthcare registered apprenticeship programs for certified nursing assistants, phlebotomists, and medical assistants. Earlier in his career, he served as an operations officer in the U.S. Air Force Reserve.
Harrison earned a Doctorate in human capital development from the University of Southern Mississippi and a master’s degree in human resource management from Troy University.
As Director, Dr. Harrison will lead the Mississippi Office of Apprenticeship as it seeks recognition from the U.S. Department of Labor as a State Apprenticeship Agency. He will also oversee the establishment of the Mississippi State Apprenticeship Council, bringing together industry leaders, academic and training partners, workforce development experts, and other stakeholders to strengthen Mississippi’s apprenticeship system.
“Registered apprenticeships connect Mississippians with rewarding careers while helping employers build the skilled workforce they need to grow,” said Governor Reeves. “Under Dr. Harrison’s leadership, ApprenticeshipMS will expand high-quality opportunities that respond to industry demand, strengthen our talent pipeline, and support economic growth in every region of our state.”
A key priority will be expanding registered apprenticeship opportunities that respond to employers’ needs and align with Mississippi’s priority occupations and regional workforce demands. ApprenticeshipMS will benchmark the state’s performance against peer and neighboring states to identify opportunities for growth and strengthen competitiveness, with the long-term goal of doubling the number of active apprentices statewide to approximately 7,000.
Governor Reeves emphasized that the strength of Mississippi’s apprenticeship system cannot be measured solely by active apprentices. ApprenticeshipMS will evaluate active apprentices, new apprentices, completions, programs with active apprentices, geographic access, industry alignment, and program sustainability.
Through industry engagement, education partnerships and workforce collaboration, ApprenticeshipMS will work to educate, sustain, and expand access to high-quality registered apprenticeship opportunities across Mississippi and strengthen the state’s talent pipeline.