Wallace Community College Selma is one of three colleges in Dallas County and it’s certainly the largest in total enrollment of the group.

This week, WCCS President James Mitchell announced that the school’s overall retention rate saw a sharp increase in the 2013-2014 school year over 2012-2013.

First, the increase means that students are increasingly improving their chances of securing a desired job after graduation.

Secondly and perhaps more importantly, the increased rate is a positive sign for area industry and business.

In the Black Belt, the most frequently cited issue is a lack of jobs. However, in some cases, the problem is an appropriate level of training. When there’s a lack of qualified employees,  employers often have to spend additional money for adequate training. In situations such as WCCS, the school is taking proactive steps to ensure more students graduate, but also boosting the chances that major industry will locate in the area.

And an increasing retention rate isn’t just a positive sign for Selma. The school’s enrollment is about 2,000. Most of the students — about 60 percent — come from Dallas County. The remaining percentage come from surrounding areas. WCCS is also helping to boost the well-qualified, technical job candidates in surrounding areas.