Professionals in furniture industries in Mississippi and North Carolina realized that the management level was filled by older employees. By providing classroom and cooperative education to future furniture professionals, employers hope to get a better quality employee who will take less time to train.
Students hope to get a head start in finding employment.
Because the furniture industry is so big, it might be surprising to note that there are only a few schools in the nation that offer a four- year furniture degree program. Prospective students in Mississippi who wish to gain expertise in the furniture industry do not have to travel out of state because MSU is one of these schools. Furniture students at MSU can specialize in administrative management, advertising, customer service, human resource management, inventory control, production management, purchasing, sales and transportation. Besides taking business, furniture production and wood technology classes, students gain knowledge in furniture management through internships and co-ops in furniture companies throughout the state and the rest of the country, and by touring furniture facilities. We encourage our students to work at the Tupelo Furniture Market in the spring and summer.