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Saturday, November 14, 2026Nov 14

Manufacturing jobs worth a serious look as career, keynote speaker says

Officials line up Wednesday morning at a press conference before the Tennessee Association of Manufacturers luncheon at the Chattanooga Convention Center. From left, Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger, Nancy Hoffman of Jobs for the Future, Annie White of Pathways to Prosperity of Southeast Tennessee and Tim Spires, president and CEO of the Tennessee Association of Manufacturers.
Officials line up Wednesday morning at a press conference before the Tennessee Association of Manufacturers luncheon at the Chattanooga Convention Center. From left, Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger, Nancy Hoffman of Jobs for the Future, Annie White of Pathways to Prosperity of Southeast Tennessee and Tim Spires, president and CEO of the Tennessee Association of Manufacturers.

Manufacturing excellence awards given Wednesday by the Tennessee Association of Manufacturers

Company of the Year: Lodge ManufacturingEnergy: AdTech CeramicsSafety: BASFEnvironment: GraceAssociate member: Elliott

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Find out more about opportunities for youth to pursue a career in manufacturing at Pathways to Prosperity of Southeast Tennessee’s website, www.setnpathways.com

About half of Americans in their mid 20s still haven’t figured out their career path – even if they have completed a college degree.

This “forgotten half” could benefit in their teens from getting out of the classroom and stepping into the workplace as interns or apprentices, said Nancy Hoffman, a vice president at Boston-based Jobs for the Future. She was the keynote speaker Wednesday morning at the Tennessee Association of Manufacturers’ annual excellence awards luncheon at the Chattanooga Convention Center.

“We have way too dim a view of what teenagers can do in this country,” Hoffman said at a press conference before the luncheon. “We see 16-year-olds in European companies really contributing to the bottom line.”