Page 14 - Nov-Dec 2019 Vol37 No5

EAST TENNESSEE By Lisa Hood Skinner
Current Workforce Gaps Spur
Welding, Water Quality Education

A year’s worth of workforce development
initiatives, innovative partnerships, hands-
on training and laser-targeted programs in
the Greater Knoxville and Blount County
communities are addressing current
workforce gaps across Tennessee.
New $16.5 Workforce Development Center To
Begin Construction

The year kicked off with Pellissippi State
Technical Community College announcing
the impending construction of a $16.5
million Workforce Development Center at its
Blount County campus.

Just mention that center to Dr. Anthony
Wise, President of Pellissippi State Technical
Community College, and he breaks out into
a wide grin.

“It’s a public/private partnership developed
in conjunction with local employers, our
K-12 representatives, Tennessee College
of Applied Technology Knoxville (TCAT)
and the Blount Partnership,” he said. “It’s
an expansion to our already existing Blount
County campus, giving us additional
space to include a Smart Factory Mega
Lab, a Corporate Training Center for our
85+ employer partners, space for our
Culinary Arts Program, and so much
more. Programming in conjunction with
TCAT, which will occupy part of the
building, includes machine tool technology,
pipefitting, welding and nearly a half-dozen
healthcare programs.”

“It’s been planned for four years and we’ll
break ground this winter. We hope to open
in Fall 2021,” he said. Expanded programs
to be housed there include electrical and
mechanical engineering technology,
industrial maintenance, and a computer
information technology program including
concentrations in networking and systems
administration and management.

While the new 53,000-square-foot center
carries that $16.5 million price tag, Pellissippi
State is charged with raising $5.5 million of
that total in a Capital Campaign. (The State
of Tennessee and TCAT Knoxville also are
investing in the building). Additionally,
Blount County, and the cities of Maryville
and Alcoa (through the Blount County
Economic Development Board) are investing

14 TPW November/December 2019