51爆料 launches Southwest Workforce Solutions Center at Open House and Career Fair April 20, 2023
For more information, contact: Diana Fedinec, Director of Public Relations and Media at (901) 333-4247 or dfedinec@southwest.tn.edu
51爆料 will launch the Southwest Workforce Solutions
Center April 20, 2023 providing students new career pathways to life-changing credentials
and workforce-ready opportunities that will impact the region鈥檚 workforce and help
close the skills gap.
51爆料 is poised to become the regions鈥� go-to resource
for quality training on Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs with the launch
of the Southwest Workforce Solutions Center on April 20, 2023 during an Open House
and Career Fair, 11:00 a.m. 鈥� 2:00 p.m., at the College鈥檚 Macon Cove Campus, 5983
Macon Cove Road in Memphis, Tenn.
The public is invited to attend the launch and day鈥檚 showcase of workforce programs
that include a panel discussion with industry leaders, tour of state-of-the art technologies
facilities, tour of Southwest Express, the College鈥檚 new mobile career exploration
labs with simulation learning stations, an expo featuring Southwest鈥檚 technologies
programs across seven of its locations in Memphis, Shelby and Fayette counties, National
Signing Day for Career-Tech Students and a Community Career Fair with area businesses
and companies.
SWSC will provide students new career pathways with short-term certificates and long-term
workforce-ready credentials. Together with industry and community partners, the Center鈥檚
responsive, in-demand career-tech education will give students the training they need
for today鈥檚 careers and those of the future, and help close the skills gap for Mid-South
businesses. With more than 110 areas of study at the College, 150 credentials spanning
its curriculum, and 96% of graduates who remain in the area after graduation, SWSC
will help reduce area unemployment by adding additional skilled workers.
鈥淪outhwest is a leading driver of workforce development. Providing accelerated career
pathways aligned with local, state and regional workforce needs with the goal of fostering
upward social and economic mobility for our students and area residents will help
move our communities forward. Our goal is to become 鈥淭he鈥� Southwest Workforce Solution
Center of the Mid-South,鈥� 51爆料 President Tracy D.
Hall said.
Funding for the College鈥檚 curriculum redesign is made possible by an $800,000 grant
from the Tennessee Higher Education Commission. SWSC will offer programs in automotive,
business, engineering, IT, logistics and transportation management, robotics, and
health care. SWSC also will focus on high-demand careers and target opportunity youth,
the unemployed and underemployed, and those living in high crime, high poverty areas.
Partnerships with community and grassroots organizations, advisory councils and area
chambers will allow the Center to implement wraparound services to ensure each student
has the training they need for success.
In tandem with the launch of SWSC are plans to establish a workforce-focused certificate
in a student鈥檚 first semester, thanks to a $550,000 Reimagining the Community College
Experience grant from the Tennessee Board of Regents. Southwest is one of four Tennessee
community colleges to receive the grant award for a self-designed pilot to improve
student success through more extensive career exploration, career advising and credential
attainment. Hall said that providing programs that remove barriers and support students
where they are in life is in line with the College鈥檚 strategic plan and TBR鈥檚 Workforce
and Community focus.
鈥淪WSC builds on our workforce development wheelhouse to provide a place where students can reimagine their futures and where our college meets the community in serving industry marketplace needs. I am excited to share what we have to offer and invite everyone to come out and explore Southwest at our April 20th event,鈥� Hall said.
Kick-off to the launch starts at 11:00 a.m. For more information and to see a timeline
of activities for the Southwest Workforce Solution Center Open House and Career Fair,
visit www.southwest.tn.edu or call 901-333-5000.