<p>In the not too distant past, blue collar jobs abounded in Columbus, Mississippi. A person could graduate from high school,  start working as, say, a machinist, and retire comfortably a quarter century later. NAFTA effectively did away with that kind of opportunity at the turn of the century. Manufacturing jobs have returned for skilled laborers since then. But will those be enough to keep people here?</p>

In the not too distant past, blue collar jobs abounded in Columbus, Mississippi. A person could graduate from high school, start working as, say, a machinist, and retire comfortably a quarter century later. NAFTA effectively did away with that kind of opportunity at the turn of the century. Manufacturing jobs have returned for skilled laborers since then. But will those be enough to keep people here?

<p>In the not too distant past, blue collar jobs abounded in Columbus, Mississippi. A person could graduate from high school, &nbsp;start working as, say, a machinist, and retire comfortably a quarter century later. NAFTA effectively did away with that kind of opportunity at the turn of the century. Manufacturing jobs have returned for skilled laborers since then. But will those be enough to keep people here?</p>

Where Do You Go When Your Blue Collar Town Loses Businesses?

You can't understand the world unless you understand Mississippi. People here experience all the joys and pains everyone does, but with a statewide population of just three million, everything is much, much more personal. The students who record Real Mississippi take you behind the magnolia curtain so you can understand the people who make Mississippi, Mississippi.

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Where Do You Go When Your Blue Collar Town Loses Businesses?

Where Do You Go When Your Blue Collar Town Loses Businesses?