Earlier this year it was announced that students in the Construction Engineering Technology program (CET) at Chattanooga State Community College would have the opportunity to plan, schedule and build a tiny house based on plans donated by Tumbleweed Tiny House Company. Submitting a dynamic project narrative has resulted in the award of a $15,000 matching grant from the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga (CFGC), one of whose education goals is to expand opportunity for members of the community to receive a high-quality education in a well-paying, high-demand field.

“We are proud to partner with Chattanooga State on the Tiny House project. This innovative program will provide hands-on construction experience to students, while preparing them with the knowledge they need to enter the workforce in our community,” says Maeghan Jones, President, Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the construction industry is expected to grow by 22 percent by 2022, and many jobs in the industry will pay a desirable salary ranging from $37K for laborers to $96K for construction managers. “Each semester there are more jobs than graduates to fill them,” says Assistant Professor of Construction Engineering Technology Caitlin Moffitt. The long-term objectives of the project are “to increase awareness of the construction industry and careers in construction in the local community, while increasing enrollment, retention, graduation and employment for students,” she adds.

The Associated General Contractors (AGC) of East Tennessee has donated $150,000 toward a new construction laboratory to be built in the CETAS Building and will be operational early in 2017.  The tiny house project will be the first major project to be constructed in the new space.

Moffitt says, “The multi-semester (tiny house) project will expose students to the different facets of a construction project through hands-on learning.” Once built, the program will literally “take it on the road” following the purchase of a trailer to transport the tiny house to college and career fairs, as well as to high schools.

Contact Caitlin Moffitt at Caitlin.moffitt@chattanoogastate.edu or call 423-697-4434 for more information about the project.

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