Governor Bill Haslam was in Murfreesboro on Tuesday. Prior to speaking at a Chamber of Commerce luncheon, he met with State Representative Dawn White during a breakfast event. While in town, Governor Haslam announced a grant of $625,007 to fund equipment needed at the Tennessee College of Applied Technology in Murfreesboro. Haslam also spoke candidly about the role of local politicians…

The governor proposed and the General Assembly approved $16.5 million in this year’s budget for equipment and technology related to workforce development programs at Tennessee colleges of applied technology and community colleges, part of Haslam’s “Drive to 55” effort to increase the number of Tennesseans with post-secondary credentials.

“The purchase of this equipment for TCAT-Murfreesboro will allow the school to provide high-tech training to meet workforce needs in the Murfreesboro area,” Haslam said. “This will not only help train Tennesseans for skilled jobs but minimize the necessity for area employers to seek skilled workers from out of state.”

 
The grant for TCAT-Murfreesboro at the school’s Old Fort Campus will address needs for equipment for instruction in mechanical systems, electronics, industrial motor controls, hydraulics, pneumatics and wiring. The school will be able to purchase several pieces of high-tech training equipment.
 
The purchase will help align the school’s advanced manufacturing training programs with area industry. Graduation from the industrial maintenance program as well as the machine tool and HVAC programs prepare students for the workforce and provide up to 30 credit hours to transfer to a community college toward an Applied Associate Degree in General Technology.
 
“Currently only 32 percent of Tennesseans have certificates or degrees beyond high school, and studies show that by 2025, that number must be 55 percent to meet workforce demands,” Haslam said. “These workforce development grants help us directly meet workforce training needs.”
 
These strategic investments resulted from the governor meeting with businesses and education officials across the state last fall to better understand workforce development needs. One of the most common themes Haslam heard was the lack of capacity and equipment at Tennessee colleges of applied technology and community colleges to meet job demand, so these grants are aimed at addressing those gaps.

Below: Phil Griffin is seeking the Republican nomination for County Commission, District 7.  
Here, he is pictured with the Governor.

Below: The event on Tuesday at Through the Grapevine was hosted by State Rep. Dawn White. During the event, Gov. Haslam thanked White for her service to the community. White serves District 37 in the House. The bottom picture is from the Dawn White website.