One of the primary factors a company looks for when deciding to build or expand is the quality of the area workforce. At South College, we work closely with industry leaders to tailor our curriculum to the jobs that are in demand.
Over the years, we have expanded our fields of study from a primarily business-oriented focus to in-demand career tracks that include health care, technology, legal studies and education. Our goal is to prepare our graduates to meet the needs of today’s changing, competitive global market. We focus on ways to connect what the students learn in the classroom to what is required in the workplace.
When Clayton Homes’ mortgage firm, Vanderbilt Mortgage, was searching for the right person to navigate through these new financial times, South College supplied a top-quality, motivated employee for that company. Graduates from our nursing and education programs are entering local schools and hospitals with the knowledge and experience they need to succeed. By preparing students for employment, we are helping to ensure a well-trained, quality workforce for our region.
Working closely with local businesses such as Pilot Corporation, Smoky Mountain Paralegal Association, Summit Medical Group and Covenant Health, South College counselors guide students toward innovative and often lucrative careers. We keep our fingers on the pulse of upcoming needs in the workforce and train our students to meet those demands. This cooperative approach to education and job training helps us ensure a bright future for our students and for the East Tennessee business community.
As President and CEO of the Knoxville Chamber I could not agree more with Steve South’s comments. We are rapidly approaching a requirement of knowlege and skill levels for jobs that not too long ago required only a high schoold diploma or less. But South College is going beyond providing valuable needed transferable knowledge and skills to providing degrees in areas where there are great shortages such as teachers, medical, and legal; thus assuring graduates jobs upon graduation.
South College is providing the necessary trained and educated workers that will allow this region to continue to grown and prosper. And providing students the education they need to have a great standard of living for both themselves and their families.
I am very grateful to South College for what it does for everyone in our community.