UPPER CUMBERLAND – The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development earlier this month announced the 29 recipients of the Work-Based Learning Grant. In total, TNECD awarded more than $710,000 to school districts that have designed programs to promote career skills and readiness among Tennessee students.
“TNECD is proud to provide these Work-Based Learning Grants to help improve the career readiness of Tennessee students and develop a strong workforce of tomorrow,” said TNECD Commissioner Bob Rolfe. “Many communities and school districts across Tennessee have stepped forward with strong programs that will help students develop career skills. I’m encouraged by the continued efforts to ensure Tennessee is the most aligned state in the country when it comes to education and workforce development.”
The grants will assist the development or expansion of work-based learning programs that promote career awareness and student readiness in grades K-12. Work-Based Learning is an education strategy that provides students with experiences to learn and develop career and job skills.
The selected communities and school districts include:
- Rutherford County (Rutherford County Schools)
- Lincoln County (Lincoln County Schools)
- Cheatham County (Cheatham County School District)
- Clarksville-Montgomery County (Clarksville-Montgomery County Schools)
- Fayette County (Fayette County Public Schools)
- Houston County (Houston County Board of Education)
- Putnam County (Putnam County School System)
- Alcoa (Alcoa City Schools)
- White County (White County Board of Education)
- Smith County (Smith County Board of Education)
- Shelby County (Shelby County Schools)
- Maryville (Maryville City Schools)
- Blount County (Blount County Schools)
- Johnson County (Johnson County Schools)
- Marshall County (Marshall County Board of Education)
- Nashville-Davidson County (Tennessee School for the Blind)
- Warren County (Warren County School District)
- Lenoir City (Lenoir City Schools)
- Carter County (Carter County Board of Education)
- Elizabethtown (Elizabethtown City School System)
- Bristol (Bristol Tennessee City Schools)
- Roane County (Roane County Schools)
- Bradley County (Bradley County Schools)
- Sumner County (Sumner County Schools)
- Maury County (Maury County Public Schools)
- Haywood County (Haywood County Schools)
- Robertson (Robertson County Schools)
- Hamilton County (Hamilton County Schools)
- Humphreys County (Humphreys County Board of Education)
TNECD is also accepting applications for the second round of Work-Based Learning Grants. Applicants are eligible for up to $25,000 with a local match requirement based on each community’s economic status. New and expanded existing programs are eligible.
Communities and school districts interested in the Work-Based Learning Grant must submit applications by Jan. 31, 2018.
The Work-Based Learning Grant program was developed by the Governor’s Rural Task Force and funded through the Rural Economic Opportunity Act of 2017. The REO Act combines funding for industrial site development, economic development training for elected officials as well as asset-based planning and supports Rural Task Force initiatives designed to develop sustainable growth in rural Tennessee communities.
