UTIA is committed to developing tomorrow’s leaders today. Through a multifaceted approach, we prioritize initiatives aimed at cultivating talent, fostering continuous learning, and empowering individuals to thrive.
Creating a Skilled Workforce
Skill Up Tennessee positions residents for career advancement, higher pay, and a better life
Phillip Colvin is studying welding skills at the Tennessee College of Applied Technology in Knoxville and looking for higher pay and chances to advance in his line of work.
“I felt like I was kind of spinning my tires working little dead-end jobs. So, I was like, ‘I’m ready for a career,’” he says. “I got enrolled at TCAT (Tennessee College of Applied Technology) and had some case workers who were saying, ‘You know, you can get help with school.’”
Colvin is enrolled in UT Extension’s Skill Up Tennessee program. “I’m grateful for the opportunity,” he says. “It’s going to be a big help down the road.”
Skill Up Tennessee is a partnership with UT Extension Department of Family and Consumer Sciences and the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development. More than 2,000 Tennesseans have been helped since its inception in 2018. Tennesseans who receive Supplemental and Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are eligible. Participants must be willing to work after completing the program. UT Extension can provide financial assistance for tuition and equipment, testing fees, uniforms, and textbooks.
Clint Cummings with UT Extension says Skill Up Tennessee also offers career guidance and gives honor to hard work. “We have what’s called a career navigator alongside the individual to think about their employment goals,” he explains.
Cummings believes it’s vital for our state’s future to have people earning solid paychecks in their communities. “We are helping to create a skilled workforce,” he says.
Linda Howard also is part of this program. She attends the Tennessee Professional Training Institute in Murfreesboro, where she’s studying to be a medical assistant, with future plans to learn about X-ray technology. It’s a chance for the mom of three to boost her family’s income and her own pride. “I’d like to do something that I love, something that interests me,” she says.
If you are interested in this program, contact UT Extension in your county or visit the Skill Up Website.
Cultivating Future Leaders
Youth Reconnect with Agriculture in Chester County
Colt Mims, student president of Future Farmers of America at Chester County High School, sees the disconnect many youth today have with agriculture. “A lot of kids these days think meat and produce just appear in the grocery store. They don’t realize it comes from a farm,” he says. Colt sees the opportunity in his county’s new agriculture center to address that divide.
Steve Rickman concurs. “Our goal is to help youth understand their connection to agriculture, whether it’s through the products they enjoy or even a future job.” Rickman, director of UT Extension Chester County, explains, “The long-term sustainability of this industry depends on our next generation carrying it forward.”
To provide real-world learning opportunities, Rickman and UT Extension Chester County partnered with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, local government, the Chester County School District, and other organizations to develop an innovative solution: the Chester County Agriculture Center.
The first facility of its kind in the community, the 20,000-square-foot venue provides space for people, livestock, farm equipment, and more for public and private events. After opening in November 2024, it is now a widely used hub for agricultural learning and leadership development for youth of all ages and will serve as the location for the West Tennessee State Fair in October 2025.
agriculture. Photo by Tate Cronin
However, this center was not the first time Rickman led the way in community development. In 2017, he secured the final funding necessary for the Henderson Farmers Market in Chester County, made possible with support from the US Department of Agriculture, the city of Henderson, and local donors. The market serves as a versatile, affordable location for large-scale producers and home growers to sell their products. Rickman then helped the Middle Tennessee cities of Loretto and Hohenwald start farmers markets of their own.
Rickman sees further opportunity ahead. In the coming years, he expects to add more to the property around the Chester County Agriculture Center. This includes restoring a horse arena, installing livestock stables, developing hiking trails, and creating both indoor classrooms and additional outdoor learning spaces.
“I want to express my gratitude to everyone who helped make the Ag Center and farmers markets possible,” says Rickman. “When we come together with a shared purpose, we can achieve remarkable things for our county, our state, and our future.”
Explore More on
FeaturesStrategic Plan Priorities
MORE FROM THIS ISSUE
