Tennessee’s community and technical colleges delivered more than 1.4 million hours of direct workforce training in Academic Year 2023-24

Tennessee’s public community and technical colleges delivered more than 1.4 million hours of direct workforce training in Academic Year 2023-24, the Tennessee Board of Regents Center for Workforce Development announced. TBR colleges trained approximately 44,800 students/employees through their broad range of workforce programs.

• The 13 community colleges delivered a total of 1,180,080 workforce training hours – an 8.7 percent increase over the previous academic year – serving over 37,00 students/employees.
• The 24 Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology (TCATs) delivered a total of 223,570 workforce training hours – a 47 percent increase over the previous academic year - serving over 7,800 students/employees.  

Walters State Community College, which delivered 207,070 workforce training hours, led the 13 community colleges in the number of training hours provided, followed by Northeast State Community College with 148,242. In the TCAT sector – TCAT Murfreesboro and TCAT Jackson were the top two performers for workforce training. To learn more about each community college’s workforce training statistics, click here.

The direct workforce training programs and their statistics are a separate category of instruction from the traditional for-credit academic, career and technical education programs provided at the community and technical colleges, whose overall enrollment and credit hours are not included above.  

Dr. Jeff Sisk, Executive Director of TBR’s Center for Workforce Development, explained that workforce training for partner industries is part of the colleges’ mission.

“TBR’s colleges offer a comprehensive slate of programs and services within their service delivery areas. In addition to traditional for-credit academic, career and technical education programs leading to associate degrees, diplomas and certificates for students, workforce training for specific skills needed by business and industry is a major component of the mission of the community colleges,” Sisk said. 

Walters State Community College’s workforce training division offers apprenticeship programs and training for businesses, industries and healthcare organizations throughout the college’s 10-county service area in East Tennessee.

“Our goal is to offer customized, innovative training programs and apprenticeships that meet the workforce training needs for the region we serve in East Tennessee,” said Dr. Tony Miksa, president of Walters State.

Some of the companies for which Walters State has provided workforce training include Summit Health, Parker Hannifin, SONOCO, Tenneco, Clayton Giles Industries, and Westgate Resorts.

Clayton Giles Industries in New Tazewell, which builds manufactured homes, enrolled some of its employees in Walters State’s supervisor training program.

“At Clayton Giles, we believe in the power of investing in people and supporting their growth. Partnering with the workforce training center is not just about providing opportunities for our team members, but also about building a stronger community,” said Aaron King, General Manager of Clayton Giles.  “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.”

Dr. Kim Bolton, Executive Director of Workforce Training at Walters State, said, “Whether it’s in healthcare, tourism or manufacturing, we develop training to meet the specific, in-demand workforce needs of our employers.”

In addition to meeting the workforce training needs of employers, the college provides programs and certifications for individuals and employees in areas such as Certified Nursing Assistant, Certified Supervisor, OSHA, and computer and software applications.

“Through certifications in healthcare and business, we also provide opportunities for individuals to improve their skills and become more employable or advance in their fields,” Bolton said.

Driven by a growing number of apprenticeship programs, about 80 percent of Northeast State Community College’s workforce hours were through the college’s Regional Center for Advanced Manufacturing (RCAM). The apprenticeship programs enable students to learn while they earn as employees of sponsoring businesses.

“Northeast State is here to help our local business and industry partners, as well as the community to meet workforce development needs, whether it’s through industry certifications, Registered Apprenticeship, or general upskilling of skill sets,” the college’s Workforce Solutions Director Jessica Barnett said.  “We work closely with our employer partners to develop programs and training that meet their standards for employee and workforce development.  We’re also here to provide opportunities for our community members who are seeking a career change, or to build on what they already have.”

“The world-class industrial training delivered at RCAM is only attainable through the strength of a good team of instructors and staff who are dedicated to student success,” said RCAM Director Christy Parks.  “I am proud to be part of that team; I believe training is the foundation for success. Without it, even the best tools are useless.” 

RCAM is Northeast State’s primary workforce development facility. Through RCAM, The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) approved Northeast State apprenticeship programs for companies of all sizes. Businesses benefit from training without managing an in-house program. Participants receive a DOL certificate upon completing the training.

“Northeast State’s RCAM facility is a critical asset for delivery of quality Related Technical Instruction (RTI) supporting our registered apprenticeship program,” said Jeff Frazier, Tennessee Operations Manufacturing Training Services Manager at Eastman Chemical Company. “The continued partnership with RCAM allows Eastman to develop the needed workforce for safe, reliable operations.”

The Tennessee College of Applied Technology Jackson’s (TCAT Jackson) workforce development mission encompasses a large service delivery area in southwest Tennesse and focuses on a wide variety of industry sectors.

“Workforce development is the heart of what we do at the TCATs on a daily basis,” Dr. JacQuene Rainey, President of TCAT Jackson, said. “We attribute our success in workforce training to the strong partnerships we have with industries such as Ford, BlueOval SK, ChemRing, Toyota Boshoku Tennessee, and other regional organizations. Our specialized training equips individuals with the necessary skills that will enhance their career opportunities and meet the needs of the community.”

TCAT Jackson has seen significant growth in apprenticeship programs. “Companies see investing in apprenticeship programs as a crucial piece of the puzzle for bridging the skills gap in our workforce. A great example of this is the partnership between Chemring and TCAT Jackson.  Through this partnership we are not only upskilling their existing labor force but also fostering a culture of hands-on learning that enhances the community and strengthens our economy,” said John Hodgson, Vice President of Workforce Development at TCAT Jackson.

TCAT Murfreesboro has been home to the Tennessee Job Training & Safety Program (JT&S) since the mid-1980’s. They provide training to 22 electric cooperatives, 51 municipal electric utilities, six telecom/fiber utilities, and 25 water and gas departments. The JT&S program is a joint venture between the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association, the Tennessee Municipal Electric Power Association, and TCAT Murfreesboro. TCAT Murfreesboro President Patrick Wade noted that over 140,000 workforce contact hours were delivered last academic year to employees of utilities 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. The program is focused on incorporating virtual training programs, developed by industry leaders, and on innovative methods on delivering high quality and effective support,” said Mike Simmons, JT&S Program Coordinator.