Nashville, TN – A partnership between Tennessee departments of Education, and Labor and Workforce Development garnered top-ranking graduation and success rates for a third consecutive year. Jobs for Tennessee Graduates works with high school seniors to ensure they graduate and are prepared for a career or higher education. The JTG program again has been awarded the highest national accolade – the Five of Five Award – signifying JTG students exceeded the goals of the program.
“This partnership is changing the lives of hundreds of Tennessee students,” Acting Education Commissioner Tim Webb said. “The achievements of JTG students open the door to a promising future and show their peers what can be accomplished. Each JTG teacher should be commended for their role in this success story.”
“I am proud of the continued success of the JTG program and being a leading example for the nation,” said Commissioner James Neeley. “The partnership between the Department of Labor and Workforce Development and the Department of Education has proved invaluable to this program and the Tennessee youth it serves. My congratulations go out to both JTG and the students who will soon be entering the workforce with the skills they need for success.”
The chart illustrates the achievements of JTG students in each of the areas measured by parent organization Jobs for America’s Graduates:
| JTG 2007 Achievement | JAG Goal | |
| Graduation Rate | 96.54% | 90% |
| Full-Time Placement Rate | 92.02% | 80% |
| Positive Outcome Rate | 84.89% | 80% |
| Full-Time Job Placement Rate | 71.51% | 60% |
| Civilian/Military Job Placement Rate | 66.29% | 60% |
“I want to applaud my 35 teachers in the 41 Senior School-to-Career Programs across the state,” JTG Executive Director Betsy Houston said. “This is a very prestigious award and extremely difficult to achieve.”
JTG specialists work with at-risk students during their senior year and remain in contact with participants for the full year after graduation from high school. The awards will be presented during the National Training Seminar in New Orleans July 7-11. For more information, contact Rachel Woods at (615) 253-1960 or Rachel.Woods@state.tn.us.
The Knoxville Chamber has released a report detailing the Workforce + Education Summit Follow Up Meeting events.
Various task forces and groups were created from this event, and will continue to meet to discuss the challenges and issues facing education and workforce.
Over 200 Knoxville businesspeople, area educators, parents, students, and others attended the Workforce Development and Education Summit follow-up meeting sponsored by EdAmerica and South College. Knoxville Chamber Workforce Development and Education Manager Ahnna Estes helped organize the event, hosted by Innovation Valley, Inc. at Cokesbury United Methodist Center, designed to create action plans that will solve issues identified during March’s summit.
“Participants will come away with an understanding of what is required from them as we move forward,” she said.
Knox County Mayor Mike Ragsdale led a panel discussion and spoke about the value of an educated workforce.
“Businesses are relocating and expanded to areas where a qualified workforce is available,” he said. “Our challenge here in Knoxville, Knox County, and East Tennessee is to make sure we have the country’s best workforce. Regardless of our outstanding quality of life here or our collective marketing efforts to attract businesses to the area, companies will find other places to call home if we don’t have qualified workers available.”
Attendees took part in five breakout sessions designed to develop action plans. Participants separated into Communications Campaign, Effective Teaching/Relevance Taskforce, Attracting and Retaining a Quality Workforce Taskforce, Bridging the Gap Between Higher Ed and Business Taskforce, and Under-Utilized Workforce Taskforce breakout sessions.
Chamber President and CEO Mike Edwards challenged those in attendance to focus on implementing action plans.
“Discipline yourselves not to talk about what the problems are,” he said. “We’ve already done that. Spend your time on action items and how we’re going to go about addressing the issues we face.”
For more information about the summit’s follow-up meeting or information about Workforce Development and Education, please contact Ahnna Estes, 865-246-2658.
The spring Workforce and Education Summit dealt with education in broad terms and participants discussed what was necessary for students to successfully complete their education and be functioning members of the workforce.
On June 10, the Chamber will hold a follow-up meeting at Cokesbury United Methodist Center so that the community can share ideas and action items that will positively benefit the local education system and workforce development initiatives.
Read the Knoxville News Sentinel column on the workforce and education follow-up meeting.
For more information on the Summit follow-up, contact Jennifer Evans or Ahnna Estes.
Reports from the Workforce Summit:
Final Summit Report
Appendix 1: Summit Notes
Appendix 2: What to Do For Schools List
Appendix 3: Summit Evaluations
Our Workforce and Education staff wants to know how you go about training your current employees and potential workforce. Do you have internships and apprenticeship programs? Do you help fund continuing education or offer mentoring opportunities?
Please fill out this form and return it to Ahnna Estes, Workforce Development Manager for the Knoxville Chamber. Delivery information is included on the form.
Roane State Community College is holding its 2008 Job Fair for their AAS graduates at the Double Tree Hotel in Oak Ridge on Friday, April 18 from 1-5:00 p.m.
Local employers are invited to register to meet with the students from various education fields who may fill open positions.
These fields include business administration, accounting, business management, computer science, contemporary management, criminal justice, early childhood education, environmental health technology, general technology, geographic information systems, paralegal studies, and technical communications.
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