Chattanooga State Community College, a national leader in technology, and the Tennessee Technology Center at Chattanooga State are hosting the fall conference of the National Coalition of Advanced Technology Centers (NCATC), October 5-7. The site of the conference is the Double Tree by Hilton in downtown Chattanooga.

According to the NCATC website, the organization is “a network of higher education resources that advocate and promote the use of technology applications that enhance economic and workforce development programs and services.”

The conference theme is “Advanced Technology Centers: Developing the Next Generation of America’s Technical Workforce.”

Attendees have four conference tracks to choose from. They are innovative and exceptional practices (ATC programs, services and operations); emerging and transfer technologies; grants, funding models and partnerships; and P-16 continuum, workforce career pathways.

Speakers addressing the conference include Dr. Jim Catanzaro, president of Chattanooga State; Joe Ferguson, chairman EPB of Chattanooga; Timothy Sloan, senior director/head of environmental, health, safety, security and regulatory affairs, WACKER POLYSILICON, N.A., Trevor Hamilton, vice president of economic development, Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce, and Hans-Herbert Jagla, vice president for human resources, Volkswagen Group of America.

A morning tour of the Volkswagen Academy begins the day on Friday. Chattanooga State is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the training center located within the plant. Chattanooga State and Volkswagen have partnered to design and implement educational programs that are specific and germane to the technology rich Volkswagen production environment.