13-02-2025
TCAT Elizabethton talks proposed TN Works Scholarship's potential impact
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) – Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee proposed the Tennessee Works Scholarship on Monday as part of his State of the State address. The new award would cover every penny of tuition to a Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) and secondary fees for all students.
'We are sending the message that TCATs are open, they're available and free to any Tennessean who wants to skill up and enter our best-in-the-nation workforce,' Gov. Lee said.
90% of TCAT Elizabethton students receive state funding, but only for tuition. Should the bill pass, TCAT Elizabethton Vice President Crystal Fink said they will be able to prepare more students to enter the workforce debt-free.
'So this funding again will just go towards individual student needs,' Fink said. 'We don't want them to have carrying balances. We want to be able to successfully complete the programs debt-free so they can continue on and be successful in our workforce.'
The $12 million proposal would relieve the cost burden for those most in need. Something Fink said would have a huge impact on their nearly 2,000 students.
'Most of our students are working full-time jobs in addition to going to school, and we just want them to be able to complete our programs and launch their careers and be successful,' Fink said.
Fink told News Channel 11 that the scholarship would cover a wide range of costs.
'Books, equipment, tools, uniforms for our nursing students, personal protective equipment, industry credentials,' Fink said. 'You know, different things to be successful in the workforce. We do a lot of preparatory tasks so students could be successful on state boards. So those are also secondary costs.'
The proposed bill will now go to the state Education Committee for study.
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