Hamilton County’s business community is doing well, but local companies must engage the next generation of workers as they eye the future.
That was the message that county Mayor Jim Coppinger and Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke conveyed to a room full of business leaders Wednesday morning during the annual mayors breakfast at the Chattanooga Convention Center.
Coppinger implored businesses to participate in the Step-Up Chattanooga program launched this month that will give 75 local students paid work opportunities in fields that could lead to a career.
“I am grateful and appreciative of all the businesses and industries represented here today,” Coppinger said. “Of course then, I’m going to call on you for a favor.”
It’s one program that could help remedy the problematic outlook detailed in Chattanooga 2.0 report. The Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce estimated in the report that 15,000 jobs in Hamilton County that can’t be filled by county residents because of the education requirements.