Tennessee is making serious moves in the workforce training game. Tennessee’s Board of Regents Center for Workforce Development revealed a whopping 1.4 million hours of direct workforce training were delivered across the state's community and technical colleges in the 2023-24 academic year. Serving around 44,800 students and employees, this training is a clear nod to the growing demand for skilled labor.
The training hours were up from the year before, with the 13 community colleges providing 1,180,080 — an 8.7 percent bump, and the 24 Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology (TCATs) hitting a 47 percent increase at 223,570 hours. Leaders in the community college pack, Walters State Community College and Northeast State Community College logged 207,070 and 148,242 training hours respectively; whereas TCAT Murfreesboro and TCAT Jackson topped the TCAT sector. Still, these impressive stats don't even include the traditional for-credit academic programs.
The central role of workforce training is no accident. Dr. Jeff Sisk, Executive Director of TBR’s Center for Workforce Development, emphasized that industry-specific skills development is a core part of their mission. And according to a report by TBR, Walters State’s training includes programs for businesses in industries ranging from manufacturing to healthcare in its 10-county service area in East Tennessee.
Take Clayton Giles Industries for example, where the supervisor training program at Walters State has made a regional impact. "The convenience of the campus and the quality of training programs, like the supervisor training many of our team members completed last year, make it an invaluable resource for equipping individuals with the skills they need to succeed," Aaron King, General Manager of Clayton Giles, told the Tennessee Board of Regents. Similarly, Northeast State Community College's Regional Center for Advanced Manufacturing (RCAM) has seen about 80 percent of its workforce hours come through apprenticeship programs, allowing students to learn and earn as employees of partner businesses.
Even the Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) Jackson is enhancing careers in southwestern Tennessee. Dr. JacQuene Rainey, President of TCAT Jackson, spoke to their dedication to this cause, citing strong industry partnerships with companies like Ford and ChemRing. Meanwhile, TCAT Murfreesboro is notable for its electric utility workforce program, which delivered over 140,000 hours of training last academic year across the state. "The JT&S program staff work to develop programming that stays up to date on current regulatory requirements and industry best practices," Mike Simmons, JT&S Program Coordinator, explained.
Tennessee continues to strengthen its workforce development by fostering connections between education and industry. These efforts aim to equip students and employees with the skills needed for regional economic growth. For more details on specific training programs offered by each community college, visit the Tennessee Board of Regents' website.
