Connect Your Business to Your Future Workforce
TN-CAPS provides a way to help excite your future local workforce about the jobs that you will need to fill in the future. Your future workforce is today’s students, but if these students do not know about the careers that your business offers, then they will not see themselves working for you in the future.
TN-CAPS helps to solve this problem by getting your careers and your business’ name in front of current students. Students work through lessons that introduce exciting aspects of the careers that you employ. At the end of the lessons, students learn about your company and the opportunities that you offer. You also have the opportunity to volunteer to interact with students through being a guest speaker, offering student visits, or many other opportunities.
Local Chambers and businesses across the state are stepping up to identify workforce needs, provide career information, and offer time, talents, and resources to bring careers into classrooms through this platform.
This program is currently in a pilot phase in selected regions of Tennessee. We thoroughly appreciate our Chamber, business, and educational partners already participating in these six pilot communities:
- Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce
- Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce
- Collierville Partners in Education
- Jackson Chamber of Commerce
- Kingsport Chamber of Commerce
- Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce
By participating in TN-CAPS, businesses increase the number of students who are aware and have a positive image of local industries and increase the interest of students in becoming trained for future workforce needs of the business.
Over 70 companies throughout Tennessee have completed surveys to date, and indicated their willingness to get involved with educators and students in a broad array of activities. A few examples include:
- DENSO Manufacturing in Athens will provide curriculum support and experiential learning programs for all grade levels.
- FedEx Services in Collierville will provide in-person and virtual guest speakers for high school classrooms.
- Erlanger Health System in Chattanooga will provide virtual field trips to students in high school.
- Stanley Black & Decker in Jackson will provide paid internships, apprenticeships, or co-ops to eligible students in grades 9 through 12.
- Domtar Paper Company in Kingsport will provide volunteer opportunities and mentorship to middle and high school students.
- Nissan in Smyrna will provide learning opportunities to middle and high schoolers such as job shadowing, externships, and internships.
All of the aforementioned companies indicated that they would also support Career Fairs and One-Day Field Trips, as well as many other suggested engagement options like video or picture uploads, resume reviews, project feedback, interview preparation, sponsorships and product or equipment donations.
If you represent a business that wants to be a part of TN-CAPS, please click here to complete the Business Survey and provide information that can be used in the expansion of the TN-CAPS resource.