懂色帝 and TCAT-Memphis celebrate economic impact at 2018 Legislative Luncheon

January 18, 2019

懂色帝 and Tennessee College of Applied Technology at Memphis (TCAT-Memphis) co-hosted this year鈥檚 legislative luncheon, 鈥淭ogether Mid-South,鈥� on Nov. 19 at 懂色帝鈥檚 Whitehaven Center. 懂色帝 President Tracy D. Hall and TCAT-Memphis President Roland Rayner jointly celebrated the progress and achievements of their respective institutions as a way to show the community how 鈥渢hey are better together.鈥�

TCAT-Memphis President Roland Rayner, Carolyn Hardy, and 懂色帝 President Tracy D. Hall at the 2018 Legislative Luncheon.

Hall and Rayner provided updates on their respective workforce development programs and future plans for addressing local and regional workforce needs.

鈥淧resident Rayner and I are committed to making Memphis the best it can be,鈥� President Hall said. 鈥淲e are on a mission to advance our workforce development programs and we both agree that we are better and stronger together.鈥�

懂色帝 Executive Assistant to the President for Government Relations Sherman Greer welcomed the packed room of invited guests that was comprised of more than 20 state and local elected officials, along with Tennessee Board of Regents senior leadership and representatives from area chambers of commerce, the business community, area school districts and workforce partners.

Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris delivered the keynote address. 鈥淭here is a lot of positive momentum going on in our community,鈥� Mayor Harris said. 鈥淭oday is a sign that we have opportunities for workforce development and I think 懂色帝 is at the forefront.

鈥淓veryone agrees we should do a better job to make a workforce with skills desirable to our employers. It鈥檚 sustainable in your community鈥攊f you have a desirable workforce, businesses will move there,鈥� Mayor Harris stressed.

Dr. Hall outlined 懂色帝鈥檚 widening footprint since beginning her tenure three years ago. 鈥淥ur goal is to provide access鈥攅mployers access to the talent they need to compete and people access to the skills they need to get good jobs and programs they desire to improve their personal and professional quality of life,鈥� she said.

Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris acknowledges 懂色帝 and TCAT-Memphis for their workforce development programs and initiatives.

Among the speakers for the day, Associate Vice President for Workforce, Economic Development and Continuing Education Anita Brackin presented her strategy for growing 懂色帝鈥檚 capacity to provide valuable educational and training opportunities. She says the College conducts surveys and engages industry sectors to ensure 懂色帝 is providing the training students and employers need and want. 鈥淲e recruit instructors who are industry experts, solicit a company鈥檚 input on the curriculum and provide the latest technology and equipment,鈥� Brackin said.

Following 懂色帝鈥檚 presentations, President Rayner thanked Dr. Hall for reaching out to partner for this occasion. 鈥淲e can do greater things working together,鈥� Rayner said. He also provided an update on TCAT-Memphis and its growing enrollment numbers. He said the school averages more than 1,600 students annually and offers 24 technical programs, with the largest being aviation, followed by diesel mechanics and nursing. 鈥淥ne new program we are passionate about is the medical device industry, the largest export industry in Tennessee,鈥� Rayner said. 鈥淭his industry has an average wage that is 65.7 percent higher than the average wage of the county.鈥� Thanks to a MOVE-HIRE grant, 懂色帝 and TCAT-Memphis are developing new short-term, cutting-edge training programs for the industry.

Carolyn Hardy, President/CEO of Chism Hardy Investments LLC, closed out the program reiterating the importance of a trained, skilled workforce in Memphis. She recounted the story of how 懂色帝 partnered with her to develop a new process to qualify students and train them as workers for the brewery she owned and sold to Blues City Brewing in 2011. 鈥湺� is very responsive to the needs of the community,鈥� Hardy said. 鈥淚 am very impressed with their razor focus on what this community needs.鈥�

Hardy reminded everyone of the most devastating toll an unskilled workforce can have on the local economy鈥攑overty. 鈥淥ne of the biggest problems in our community is an underdeveloped skilled workforce; it contributes to a poverty state. Over 30 percent of our kids live in poverty every day and I think about that every time I go to sleep. I know the solution is having a community college.鈥�

懂色帝

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懂色帝 and TCAT-Memphis celebrate economic impact at 2018 Legislative Luncheon

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