TBR - The College System of Tennessee selected to develop onsite workforce training center for Ford & SK Innovations Blue Oval City’s $5.6 billion campus

The College System of Tennessee has announced that its technical colleges will provide an onsite workforce training center to facilitate a career-to-workforce pipeline for Ford Motor Company’s future assembly plant in Blue Oval City – a $5.6 billion campus spanning 3,600 acres at the Memphis Regional Megasite in Stanton, Tennessee.

“Our commitment to skilled trades through career and technical education gave Tennessee a clear advantage," said Gov. Bill Lee.

On Sept. 28, Ford announced its partnership with SK Innovation to develop one of the most efficient and technologically advanced manufacturing campuses in the country, which will produce electric F-Series trucks and batteries. The investment is expected to create approximately 5,800 new jobs. The new TBR workforce training center will also be located on the site.

“This partnership will not only benefit West Tennesseans in providing them with the specialized skills needed to work at Blue Oval City, but the overall investment will benefit the entire state’s economy,” said Tennessee Board of Regents Chancellor Flora W. Tydings.

As the premier source of workforce training in the state, Tennessee’s community and technical colleges in the West Tennessee region are poised to answer the call in providing a state-of-the-art workforce training center that will provide Blue Oval City with skilled workers in automotive manufacturing.

“Time and time again, the skilled workers produced from our community and technical colleges are what sets us apart from other states and the reason why new industry choose Tennessee,” continued Chancellor Tydings. “We are proud of our continued commitment in preparing our workforce for highly-skilled and technology-based jobs.”

The College System of Tennessee, governed by the Tennessee Board of Regents, collaborates with businesses and industries to produce workforce-ready training through over 175 public community and technical college teaching locations. Its history of successful partnerships and the positive impact on students, industries and communities reaffirms its commitment to investing in workforce development training across the state. During the 2020-2021 academic year, Tennessee’s community and technical colleges awarded 22,956 degrees, diplomas and certificates – reinforcing its commitment to listening to and working with its external partners in industry to not only enhance student success and fulfill career training needs of Tennesseans, but to increase the state’s overall economy.