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Gov. Bill Lee and the Tennessee Higher Education Commission have announced that Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) Knoxville has been awarded $4 million in grants through the Governor’s Investment in Vocational Education (GIVE) program for two separate projects to enhance career and technical education in the region.
The GIVE program, established soon after Gov. Lee took office in 2019, is designed to address skills gaps in Tennessee's workforce by supporting the development of career pathways that connect postsecondary institutions with local K-12 school systems and local employers.
This is the third round of GIVE grants to be awarded and will allocate a total of $41 million to foster regional partnerships between community colleges, Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology (TCATs), and local industries. The new funding will support 23 projects statewide, through partnerships based at 20 different community colleges and TCATs.
TCAT Knoxville is the only technical college awarded two separate GIVE grants, each for $2 million, in this round. The grants will fund:
Nuclear Science Pathway – In partnership with East Tennessee Economic Council (ETEC), Roane State Community College, Anderson County School District, Oak Ridge City Schools, United Cleanup Oak Ridge LLC (UCOR), and Triso-X, this innovative pathway will meet the high demand for skilled technicians in Nuclear Energy and is designed to serve both high school and college students, within Industrial Electricity, Computer Information Technology (Cyber Security), HVAC, Industrial Maintenance/Mechatronics, Machine Tool, Pipefitting and Plumbing, and Welding training with a particular focus on reaching underserved groups such as special needs students, English language learners, minority, non-traditional, and economically disadvantaged populations by utilizing existing apprenticeship and pre-apprentice programs throughout the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Oak Ridge Reservation.
Industry 4.0 Apprenticeship Pathway – In partnership with Anderson County Chamber of Commerce, Roane State Community College, Anderson County School District, Clinton City Schools, S L Tennessee and Aisin, the Industry 4.0 Apprenticeship Pathway, plan is to address key workforce challenges in the East Tennessee region by focusing on three strategic areas: expanding and improving career exploration and awareness in primary education, creating a cohesive and impactful work based learning continuum starting from elementary through post-secondary levels, and broadening access to apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs in local high-demand industries such as Industrial Maintenance, Machine Tool, Mechatronics, and Welding training.
“I am pleased that TCAT Knoxville has received funding for both grants,” said President Kelli Chaney. “These grants will help us expand career exploration opportunities for students and strengthen workforce development in key industries like Nuclear and Manufacturing. It’s an important step towards tackling regional workforce challenges and keeping East Tennessee’s economy moving.”
In announcing the new round of GIVE Grants, Gov. Lee said, “The state with the workers will win every time, and that’s why workforce development has been one of my top priorities since day one,” said Gov. Lee. “As a result, companies are choosing to invest and expand in our state, creating greater opportunity and quality of life for all Tennesseans.”
Since creating GIVE, the state has invested $91.5 million into the program to support rural workforce development through technical education. The first and second rounds of GIVE funding in 2019 and 2021 served an estimated 15,500 students. Tennessee has made notable progress in rural workforce development which has resulted in securing over 41,500 new jobs and nearly $19 billion in capital investment in rural counties since 2019.
Grants of up to $2 million each are awarded through the GIVE program to collaborative efforts that create or expand academic programs, develop work-based learning experiences, or provide industry-recognized certifications in areas of high demand. This initiative not only aims to meet the current needs of employers but also to stimulate economic growth by ensuring that Tennessee’s education system is aligned with workforce requirements.
Tennessee Board of Regents Chancellor Flora W. Tydings commended the colleges for initiating the partnerships and applying for and winning the grants to benefit career and technical education in their communities. “The programs and projects funded by this latest round of GIVE Grants will create many new opportunities for Tennesseans to learn career-building skills to compete and advance in today’s technology-based economy, benefitting their families across generations and building strong communities.
“Our community and technical colleges are the front-line providers of academic, career, and technical education. We’re grateful to Governor Lee and the General Assembly for recognizing the need to bridge the skills gap and establishing the GIVE program to help close it,” Dr. Tydings said.
More information on the GIVE initiative is here, and the Governor’s media release with the full list of recipients awarded is here.
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Contact:
Kelli Chaney, President
kelli.chaney@tcatknoxville.edu
Published: 08/29/2024
