Governor Bill Haslam announced the recipients of the Labor Education Alignment Program competition, and Cleveland State Community College, in partnership with Pellissippi State Community College and the Tennessee Center of Applied Technology at Knoxville, received $959,267 as a part of the grant. Approximately 28 proposals were submitted and 12 were awarded. LEAP is a state initiative that supports the Drive to 55 by awarding grants to community and academic partnerships formed to help communities align workforce needs with higher education.
Cleveland State Community College Bill Seymour announced the news to faculty, staff and students on Tuesday. “Our proposal is a partnership with Pellissippi State Community College, TCAT Knoxville, several Chambers of Commerce and several schools in their Career and Technical Education programs, as well as many businesses, to combine an advanced manufacturing program.”
Mr. Seymour continued, “We targeted Monroe County. Pellissippi is targeting Knox County and Blount County, but in Monroe County we know that one of our best opportunities is to work with the boat manufacturers that exist there. We will need to work with the schools in that area to help train people to make sure that they have the best employees. This money will help provide equipment and training throughout the schools, as well as in our new Monroe County Center.”
The colleges, in partnership with five school districts, will create a dual enrollment and dual credit advanced manufacturing curriculum which will enable high school students to graduate with an industry-recognized certificate known as the Industrial Automation Certificate and enough college credit to complete their freshmen year in advanced manufacturing majors.
CSCC will offer college credit for an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Industrial Technology in Monroe County, while Pellissippi State will offer Automated Industrial Systems or Industrial Maintenance Technology in Knox and Blount Counties. CSCC will utilize its new Monroe County Center for dual credit courses, while PSCC will use its Blount County and Strawberry Plains Campuses. Equipment purchased with LEAP 2.0 funds will enable the colleges to offer the programs at these locations.
“We are thrilled with the announcement of the LEAP 2.0 Grant,” stated Patty Weaver, director of Off Campus Sites. “These funds will support our ongoing efforts to offer advanced manufacturing and mechatronics at our Monroe County Center in Vonore. Susan Webb-Curtis, dean of Business and Technology, and Tim Wilson, Technology Department chair, along with various industries and businesses in Monroe County, were instrumental making this happen.”
State Rep. Kevin Brooks was on campus for Mr. Seymour’s announcement and said, “I am thrilled that Cleveland State has the ingenuity and the knowledge base to put together that kind of grant that is able to bring almost $1 million.”