Agency Initiatives This section identifies initiatives across partner agencies bringing programs and resources to Tennesseans to inform their decisions and assist in actualizing their pursuit of education and training for in-demand and well-paid occupations in Tennessee.
Tennessee Higher Education Commission The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) is relentlessly focused on increasing the number of Tennesseans with a postsecondary credential. Understanding that higher education prepares its graduates for in-demand jobs, through data-informed and collaborative work, THEC strives to ensure that postsecondary institutions are producing the credentials employers need while also driving new industry to the state.
College For TN CollegeForTN.org, an initiative led by the THEC’s College Access and Success team, is a free, Tennessee-specific career and college exploration website. The goal of CollegeforTN.org is to provide students and their families with resources and information needed to make informed college and career decisions. Relaunched in Fall 2021, CollegeforTN.org addresses three areas of focus: (1) serve as the central hub in Tennessee for college access and success information and resources; (2) provide students and families a robust set of career, college, and financial aid tools, information, and resources; and (3) provide online college access and success resources for educators and others who help students develop and implement their college and career plans. The website, informed by data from the U.S. Department of Labor, includes information about typical education level, requisite skills, and salaries for over 900 careers—connecting these occupations to academic programs available in Tennessee.
GIVE Community Grants The Governor’s Investment in Vocational Education (GIVE) is designed to foster long-term regional partnerships between Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology (TCATs), community colleges, industry, economic development/workforce agencies, and K-12 to identify and address skills gaps in local workforce needs. Through two competitive rounds, grants of up to $1 million were made available to local collaboratives to facilitate the development and implementation of employer-driven career pathways that include K-12 local education agencies (LEAs), higher education institutions, and local employers. As an example of the impact of GIVE Grants, TCAT Morristown’s Five Rivers Partnership for Future Ready Pathways expands opportunities for high school and postsecondary students to take-up Advanced Manufacturing programs, like industrial electricity, industrial
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