The Mississippi Pawnbrokers Association has launched an online learning portal for its members which is the first of its kind in the nation. Each year, pawnbrokers in the state of Mississippi are required to complete six hours of Continuing Education in order to maintain their license. The announcement was made during the Dixie Educational Conference and Tradeshow, an annual industry event hosted jointly by the Pawnbrokers Associations of Mississippi, Arkansas, Alabama, and Louisiana.
“In the past, members obtained the required training either by attending conventions and tradeshows or through training that MPA coordinated throughout the year,” explained the organization’s current President, Nick Fulton. Fulton is the Managing Partner of USA Pawn, with six locations in Central Mississippi. “Now, our members are able to access the information that they need most where and when they want.”
“Before, it was challenging and expensive to try and provide training consistently to every pawnbroker in the state,” he added. “Now, every person who works in a pawnshop—from owners to employees, will have easy access to the best educational materials in the industry from the most knowledgeable instructors anywhere.”
Not only is the quality of educational offerings vastly improved, the MPA Online Learning Portal is also a significant cost savings for members and the organization alike. More courses will be added in the future, covering the most pertinent topics to operational excellence and compliance.
Initial courses cover the Mississippi Pawn Law, Precious Metals Refining, Anti-Money Laundering Basics, ATF Training, Diamonds and Gemstones, Luxury Handbag Authentication, and Crisis Communications.
“Mississippi is the first state in the Nation to offer this level of quality, consistency, and convenience to its Association members and we’re proud to lead the way,” Fulton said. More information is available at www.mspawnbrokers.org.
