The Tennessee Department of Labor has awarded Workforce Essentials a $245,000 grant to recruit and train transitioning soldiers to fill employment opportunities in Clarksville and Middle Tennessee! The grant is focused on separating soldiers that transition out of the service from Fort Campbell.
Approximately 450 to as many as 600 soldiers transition out of the service each month. These soldiers serve as a vital labor supply to the energized regional economy where employers are challenged to fill technical positions and are seeking the work ethic and skills supplied by Veterans and transitioning soldiers.
In partnership with the local Chamber of Commerce and the Soldier for Life program, Workforce Essentials has been surveying soldiers to identify their future employment plans. Of over 3,000 transitioning soldiers surveyed, only 20% indicated that they were staying within a 30-mile radius of Fort Campbell. However, when asked if desirable employment was available, the percentage more than doubles to 47%. We contend that ample employment is available in the middle Tennessee region where unemployment is hovering at just over 5%.
The grant will sponsor a public campaign to connect soldiers to employers with job openings. TCAT Clarksville will also provide training to credential soldiers in basic manufacturing operations and safety. Nashville State Community College will be providing Mechatronics training on base as well.
Special thanks to the Tennessee Department of Labor and Montgomery County for supporting our soldiers through workforce development. The two-year grant will begin on October 1, 2015.
Marla W. Rye, President
