Educational Opportunities

GIVE (Governor's Invest in Vocational Education)

The Governor’s Investment in Vocational Education (GIVE) is designed to foster long-term regional partnerships between Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology (TCATs), community colleges, industry, economic development/workforce agencies, and K-12 to identify and address “skills gaps” in local workforce pools. Through data-driven and collaborative work, Tennessee can ensure that education institutions are producing the credentials employers need while also driving new industry to the state.

SPARC Initiative

The SPARC Initiative engages local constituencies and education stakeholders in identified distressed and at-risk counties in an effort to bridge, if not resolve, three identified obstacles: infrastructure need, geographic access to higher education, and unmet need for additional career and technical education dual enrollment opportunities.

Tennessee Board of Regents Warranty Program

Representing the college system of Tennessee's commitment to the quality of its technical programs, the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) created a warranty program to stand behind the training it provides to thousands of graduates each year. The warranty guarantees employers that anyone with an A.A.S. degree, diploma, or certificate from a TBR college will have the knowledge and skills needed to perform job functions. Valid for one year immediately following the student’s graduation/completion date, the program warranty covers retraining only at no cost to the graduate and employer.

SkillsUSA - Tennessee Postsecondary

SkillsUSA is a nonprofit partnership of education and industry founded in 1965 to strengthen the nation’s skilled workforce. Driven by employer demand, SkillsUSA helps students develop necessary personal and workplace skills along with technical skills grounded in academics. Each year, SkillsUSA offers a championship program, allowing students to showcase their talent and skills at state, regional, and national levels. In 2021, 23 students from TBR colleges earned gold, silver, and bronze medals at the national competition.

Apprenticeships - Registered apprenticeships are an effective workforce training solution to develop skilled workers through a combination of on-the-job learning and classroom instruction.  Students grow their skills by working alongside veteran workers, as well as earn substantial credit hours toward an associate degree or technical certificate. TBR colleges and Center for Workforce Development regularly work with businesses to design customized apprenticeships.

Technical Dual Enrollment - High school students can get a jumpstart on gaining valuable technical skills with dual enrollment courses for technical programs, like welding and mechatronics.  Participating high school students earn early college credits, allowing them to finish their technical certifications in much shorter timeframes after graduation so they can enter the workforce and begin successful careers in high-demand fields.

Competency-Based Education - Competency-based education is a pedagogical approach to designing courses where students are expected to demonstrate competencies aligned with clearly defined learning objectives. Demonstration of competencies is achieved through reliable and authentic assessments created by the course designer/instructor.  Course competencies are the skills, knowledge, processes, and/or procedures that a learner can perform after completing the course modules. Relevant learning activities are aligned to course competencies and performance assessments.