Latest news with #TennesseeCollegeofAppliedTechnology
Axios
01-05-2025
- Business
- Axios
Slipping lottery funds sidelined Tennessee governor's scholarship plan
Gov. Bill Lee's pitch to add scholarship funding to help technical college students pay for equipment and books is on hold for at least a year because of a dip in lottery revenue. Why it matters: Most Tennesseans can go to technical colleges tuition-free. But existing scholarships don't always cover the full price of attendance, which includes costly supplies and other fees that can add up fast. Those extra expenses stop many from enrolling. State of play: Lee's $12.1 million plan, part of his initial budget proposal introduced in February, would have drawn from lottery proceeds. Lottery funds pay for several state scholarship programs, including Tennessee Promise and the HOPE Scholarship. Yes, but: Lottery revenue is slipping, and there is less money to go around. Game revenue dropped by more than $70 million in fiscal year 2024, according to state data. By the numbers: Tennessee Education Lottery Corp. collected $501.3 million for lottery-funded education programs during fiscal year 2024, which ended last June. The corporation estimates those programs will continue to dip during the ongoing 2025 fiscal year, and they could fall below $475 million. Between the lines: A number of factors, such as inflation or gas prices, could be driving the revenue loss. Lottery officials tie the decline to the rise of legalized sports betting, which Tennessee approved in 2019. Zoom out: Sports betting revenue that previously flowed to lottery-funded scholarship programs has been rerouted to K-12 school upgrades as part of Lee's voucher plan, which became law this year. The big picture: Technical colleges provide major muscle for the state's workforce development efforts. (A special Tennessee College of Applied Technology site is being built alongside a massive Ford plant in West Tennessee to help prepare employees.) TCATs educate workers in manufacturing, auto repair, nursing, construction, mechatronics and other key fields. Tennessee doesn't have enough workers to fill all the open jobs in the state. Most businesses report a lack of trained workers. What they're saying: Lee's spokesperson tells Axios the governor expects to revive the scholarship plan in an effort to build out the workforce. "Governor Lee will continue working in partnership with the General Assembly to establish the Tennessee Works Scholarship," spokesperson Elizabeth Johnson said.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Memphis steel firm teams with TN college for top apprenticeships
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A local steel production company is being recognized by Tennessee on National Apprenticeship Day on Wednesday for making high-paying jobs in the steel industry more attainable. Morgan Steel in South Memphis, a carbon steel distributor and fabricator based in Memphis and Greenville, Texas, partnered with the Tennessee College of Applied Technology to create a unique apprenticeship program. The apprenticeship will provide workers skills needed to program, operate and maintain robot welders as well as production using Artificial Intelligence. Ja Rule, Ashanti headline tour at the Landers Center 'To be able to help people better themselves and give them a whole new level of technical information and technical skills that will be able to create a trade for them that they'll be able to have for the rest of their life,' said Michael Sargent, Morgan Steel, Chief Operating Officer. Morgan Steel is recognized for its program by the State of Tennessee. Applicants with a high school diploma or GED accepted in the one year apprenticeship program would make $17 an hour as the starting pay. Monday's announcement comes as President Trump signs two executive orders, one preparing Americans for high-paying, skilled trade jobs of the future the second for advancing AI education for American youth. Man shot in Orange Mound: MPD 'This opportunity today shows us the importance of trades and CCTE education. So from a City perspective, we now have another avenue, another partner that we can partner with to help direct our students to internships and career employment long term,' said Brian Harris, Director of Youth Service, City of Memphis. For more information on how to apply for an apprenticeship, click here for Morgan Steel or the Tennessee College of Applied Technology. You must have a high school diploma or GED to apply. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tennessee's best two- and four-year colleges, according to Niche
A mix of public and private universities topped this year's Niche rankings for four-year schools in Tennessee, while Tennessee College of Applied Technology campuses dominated the two-year schools and programs. Niche, a Pittsburgh-based organization, relies on public data from the schools, along with reviews from students and parents. This year it also applied an "economic mobility index" that tracks economic status changes among low-income students. Niche then produces rankings, along with letter grades, for schools nationwide. The rankings compare more than 1,000 colleges and universities across the country. Here's how Tennessee's two- and four-year colleges fared in the latest rankings. U.S. News college rankings 2025: Vanderbilt, other Tennessee schools make the list Here are the top 20 four-year colleges and universities in Tennessee, along with their letter grades, according to Niche. The list accounts for both public and private schools. #1: Vanderbilt University, A+ (Nashville, private) #2: Union University, A- (Jackson, private) #3: Lipscomb University, A- (Nashville, private) #4: University of Tennessee, A- (Knoxville, public) #5: Rhodes College, B+ (Memphis, private) #6: Sewanee - University of the South, B+ (Sewanee, private) #7: Tennessee Technological University, B+ (Cookeville, public) #8: University of Memphis, B+ (Memphis, public) #9: East Tennessee State University, B+ (Johnson City, public) #10: Lincoln Memorial University, B+ (Harrogate, private) #11: Lee University, B+ (Cleveland, private) #12: University of Tennessee at Martin, B+ (Martin, public) #13: Middle Tennessee State University, B (Murfreesboro, public) #14: Johnson University, B (Knoxville, private) #15: Milligan University, B (Milligan, private) #16: Southern Adventist University, B (Collegedale, private) #17: South College - Knoxville, B (Knoxville, private) #18: Tennessee Wesleyan University, B (Athens, private) #19: The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, B (Chattanooga, public) #20: Maryville College, B (Maryville, private) The vast network of Tennessee College of Applied Technology campuses dominated the top of the latest Niche ratings in Tennessee, so we expanded this list to include the top 20. The ratings include community colleges, trade and career schools and other two-year programs, according to Niche. #1: Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Murfreesboro, A (Murfreesboro, public) #2: Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Elizabethton, A- (Elizabethton, public) #3: Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Shelbyville, A- (Shelbyville, public) #4: Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Crossville, A- (Crossville, public) #5: Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Dickson, B+ (Dickson, public) #6: Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Hohenwald, B (Hohenwald, public) #7: Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Knoxville, B (Knoxville, public) #8: Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Morristown, B (Morristown, public) #9: Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Livingston, B (Livingston, public) #10: Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Nashville, B- (Nashville, public) #11: Dyersburg State Community College, B- (Dyersburg, public) #12: Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Jackson, B- (Jackson, public) #13: Chattanooga State Community College, B- (Chattanooga, public) #14: Roane State Community College, B- (Harriman, public) #15: Jackson State Community College, B- (Jackson, public) #16: Cleveland State Community College, C+ (Cleveland, public) #17: Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Memphis, C+ (Memphis, public) #18: Columbia State Community College, C+ (Columbia, public) #19: Walters State Community College, C+ (Morristown, public) #20: Volunteer State Community College, C+ (Gallatin, public) Reach children's reporter Rachel Wegner at RAwegner@ or follow her on Bluesky @RachelAnnWegner. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: New rankings list best Tennessee colleges
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
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. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
