McMinn County is turning to its neighboring county in Bradley to help resolve two critical labor concerns in East Tennessee: a dwindling workforce and a need for qualified workers at local manufacturing facilities.
The McMinn County Economic Development Authority recently agreed to adopt a job skills promotional and training program launched in Cleveland in 2017 that is designed to encourage students to pursue manufacturing and technology jobs at local industries.
Known as “Your Skills. Your Future.” the program offers a range of web and classroom resources to high school students, parents, adults and job seekers in partnership with Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT), Cleveland State Community College (CSCC), The University of Tennessee Center for Industrial Service (CIS) and the Tennessee Career Center.
“Over 34 percent of McMinn County’s workforce is employed in the manufacturing industry, and the demand for more skilled workers in the region continues to rise,” said Kathy Price, executive director of the McMinn County Economic Development Authority. “At the same time, there are high school graduates who may not be suited for a four-year college experience and are unaware of the available opportunities around them. Our goal is to raise awareness and create a pipeline of skilled workers by showing the community that a well-paying career with a successful future is easily attainable.”
The program was created and first implemented in Bradley County by the Cleveland-Bradley Chamber of Commerce to help local businesses and industries meet ever-increasing demands with high school students and adults who wish to pursue technical training beyond high school without incurring significant student debt from longer and more expensive 4-year college degrees.