Governor Bill Haslam on Thursday announced the recipients of the Labor Education Alignment Program (LEAP) competition, a state effort focused on increasing opportunities for Tennesseans to obtain a certificate or degree beyond high school that is aligned with the needs of the workforce in their communities.
“These types of intentional partnerships between local agencies and their colleges or TCATS are what we want to see across the state as a significant piece of the Drive to 55 initiative,” Governor Haslam said.
“Tying the training and skills that our colleges are teaching directly to current workforce needs will help more Tennesseans qualify for good paying, high quality jobs.”
The communities and colleges selected as LEAP recipients exemplify the collaboration and alignment between workforce needs and higher education that are at the core of the Drive to 55,” Haslam said. “
Below is a list of LEAP Grant Recipients:
East Tennessee Development District
Roane State Community College
$970,000.00
Greater Memphis Alliance for a Competitive Workforce
Southwest Tennessee Community College
$743,500.00
Jackson Regional Partnership
Jackson State Community College
$900,000.00
Nashville Technology Council
Nashville State Community College
$850,000.00
North Tennessee Workforce Board
Nashville State Community College
$992,037.00
Northwest Tennessee Workforce Board
Dyersburg State Community College
$850,000.00
Smoky Mountain Area Workforce Board
Walters State Community College
$988,000.00
South Central Tennessee Development District
TCAT Shelbyville
$970,000.00
South Central Tennessee Workforce Alliance
TCAT- Pulaski
$970,000.00
South Central Tennessee Workforce Alliance
Columbia State Community College
$135,918.00
Southeast Tennessee Development District
TCAT Athens
$946,280.00
Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency
TCAT Livingston
$684,000.00
Funded by a $10 million appropriation by the General Assembly, the LEAP competition required applicants to respond to a competitive Request for Proposals that was released in September. Proposals were reviewed and selected by the Governor’s Workforce Subcabinet, consisting of commissioners and staff from the following agencies:
- Tennessee Board of Regents
- Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development
- Tennessee Department of Education
- Tennessee Department of Human Services
- Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development
- Tennessee Higher Education Commission.