Pictured: Dr. George Graham, Chattanooga State head of chemical engineering technology and director of the Wacker Institute and Tim McGhee, Chattanooga State dean of engineering technology (left), look on as U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Sols talks with Dr. Jim Catanzaro, Chattanooga State president, during a tour of the Wacker Institute on the college campus.

Chattanooga, TN --- Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis visited Chattanooga State Community College on October 3 to highlight U.S. Department of labor investments that are improving training for careers.  Chattanooga State received slightly more than $3 million to establish the Tennessee Valley Institute of Materials Joining and Testing (TVIMJT).

The grants are part of the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training Initiative, which promotes skills development and employment opportunities in fields such as advanced manufacturing, transportation and health care, as well as science, technology, engineering and math careers through partnerships between training providers and local employers. The U.S. Department of Labor is implementing and administering the program in coordination with the U.S. Department of Education.

The TVIMJT will serve both employer and employee needs by providing rapid retraining in two core, high-demand, high-wage fields: non-destructive evaluation and materials joining. The program's career pathways will offer a range of options starting at entry-level certification that produces employability within four to six months, while also providing opportunities for stacked and latticed credentialing that could lead to advanced certifications, associate and/or baccalaureate degrees.

Dr. George Graham, Chattanooga State Engineering Technology Department Head, says, “Chattanooga region employers often outsource NDE and advanced welding work to out of state contractors. The funding from the TAACCCT grant will enable the Institute to provide the opportunity for education and training to the Chattanooga-area community in these high-paying fields. “ 

Chattanooga State is among a number of community colleges and universities around the country that will share in $500 million in grants for the development and expansion of innovative training programs. There are 297 schools designated to receive grants as individual applicants or as members of a consortium.

Chattanooga State will be awarded additional funds from the DOL as part of a Tennessee statewide consortium led by Roane State Community College in Harriman, TN. The statewide consortium was awarded a $12.5 million grant that will be shared among 13 community colleges and four Tennessee Technology Centers throughout the state.

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