NOTE: The following was sent from the University of Tennessee.
Introducing the University of Tennessee High School Technology Challenge, a business competition for budding technology entrepreneurs!
What is it?
Teams of up to 4 students studying science and business:
- Create an innovative technology-based product idea
- Explain and demonstrate that the market really needs it and
- Show that there is enough demand to create a sustainable business
Why should teams participate?
- Prizes! Scholarships of up to $4000 at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville
- Students gain hands-on experience in starting a business and develop skills necessary to become a successful entrepreneur.
- Students learn about and understand the needs and motivations of different disciplines and how to better communicate with each other, which can be applied in the workforce upon graduation.
- Student teams will interact with and receive feedback from experienced entrepreneurs, investors and industry leaders.
When and where?
- March 26 - 28, 2008
- Events held at both Oak Ridge National Laboratory and University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Learn more!
- globalventurechallenge.com; Idea to Product Competition
- Contact Joy Fisher at joy.fisher@tennessee.edu
NOTE: The following story is from the West Side Shopper.
Vols4STEM is looking for volunteers in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) to work with educators to mentor East Tennessee students and encourage careers in these professions.
The Oak Ridge chapter of the Instrumentation, Systems and Automation Society (ISA) sponsored a dinner and presentation Thursday night at Hardin Valley Academy to inform those present of the importance of developing a future work force and to recruit STEM professionals, linking them with educators and students.
According to Joe Carson, an engineer with the Department of Energy and chair of the Vols4STEM steering committee, “Vols4STEM is a tool, a community resource. There have been, for many years, many STEM professionals in this area involved as volunteers in STEM-related programs, many of
which are sponsored or cosponsored by STEM societies.”
Harry Paris, ISA program chair and member of the Vols4STEM steering committee, spoke to the group of about 150 professionals, educators and students who attended the meeting. He told them about the wealth of opportunity and resources in the East Tennessee area – Oak Ridge National Lab, Alcoa, Eastman Chemical and many others.
Some of the supporting partners of the project include the Knoxville Chamber of Commerce, Knox County Schools, the Great Schools Partnership, the Knoxville chapter of the Tennessee Society of Professional Engineers, International Society of Automation (ISA) and Women in Nuclear (WIN).
Jennifer Evans, director of Workforce Development and Education with the Knoxville Chamber, spoke of the importance of educating a future work force. “STEM education is critical,” she said. “We must prepare students for jobs that don’t even exist yet.”
Through their efforts, professionals can share their real world experiences with students and motivate them to consider careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Some of the techniques include working with students on extracurricular projects and competitions such as Science Bowl, MathCounts, Lego League, Science Olympiad and others.
According to Carson, “Programs are going on now and have been for many years. There is always a need for volunteers, and there are always opportunities for more people to volunteer. Vols4STEM is about getting more of the area’s STEM professionals actively engaged in them.” For more information visit, www.vols4stem.org.
The University of Tennessee College of Communications and Information recently announced that it will be holing a job and internship fair on Wednesday, October 22nd from 10 Am – 3 PM in the University Center Ballroom.
The fair is for “all communication and information students seeking internships and entry-level positions,” according to a letter from the College. Participation in the event is FREE to businesses, and all participants will be provided a space to talk to students including a table and chairs.
The College will also make opportunities available to talk to classes of students on the following days – Thursday and Friday, October 23rd and 24th.
For more information about the Job & Internship Fair please click here.
The Tennessee Business Roundtable will hold an education summit on October 16 at the Nashville Downtown Public Library.
Mike Edwards, Knoxville Chamber president and CEO, is this year's chairman of the event. He said that the summit will "provoke some hard questions and answers for all of us."
Marc Tucker, founder and CEO of the National Center on Education and the Economy, and William E. Brock, former U.S. Senator from Tennessee, will present the much-talked-about report, "Tough Choices or Tough Times" at the summit.
For more information, read the release from the Tennessee Business Roundtable.
You Are Invited to Attend!
5th Annual Education Forum
Hosted by Knox County Council PTA
"The Tennessee Diploma Project: How Does This Affect My Child?"
Tuesday, August 19
9:00 - 11:30 a.m.
Andrew Johnson Building, 1st Floor Board Room
Featuring
Bill Williams, WBIR Anchor Emeritus & Honorary PTA Membership Chairman
Dr. James McIntyre, Superintendent Knox County School System
Jon Rysewyk, Principal, Fulton High School
Buzz Thomas, Executive Director, Niswonger Education Foundation
Dr. Gary Nixon, Executive Director, Tennessee Board of Education and
Knox County Mayor Mike Ragsdale
For more information contact Sandra Rowcliffe 603-5851 or sandrarowcliffe@kccpta.org
SKILL UP! in Innovation Valley is a partnership among Innovation Valley, Inc. and the Knoxville Chamber, Workforce Connections and the local Workforce Investment Board, and the United Way of Greater Knoxville.
The SKILL UP! initiative strives to prepare and train low skilled, low income workers to enter the health care, manufacturing, and energy/building-trades sectors.
Learn more about this program through the fact sheet.
The Tennessee Career Center is holding a webcast on Monday, July 14 at 10:00 a.m. to describe how to get the most benefit from the Career Readiness Certificate program.
This Career Readiness Certificate program is aimed at helping the upcoming workforce learn valuable, employable skills and also for businesses to identify those employees who have the most promise for their organization.
Nashville, TN – A partnership between Tennessee departments of Education, and Labor and Workforce Development garnered top-ranking graduation and success rates for a third consecutive year. Jobs for Tennessee Graduates works with high school seniors to ensure they graduate and are prepared for a career or higher education. The JTG program again has been awarded the highest national accolade – the Five of Five Award – signifying JTG students exceeded the goals of the program.
“This partnership is changing the lives of hundreds of Tennessee students,” Acting Education Commissioner Tim Webb said. “The achievements of JTG students open the door to a promising future and show their peers what can be accomplished. Each JTG teacher should be commended for their role in this success story.”
“I am proud of the continued success of the JTG program and being a leading example for the nation,” said Commissioner James Neeley. “The partnership between the Department of Labor and Workforce Development and the Department of Education has proved invaluable to this program and the Tennessee youth it serves. My congratulations go out to both JTG and the students who will soon be entering the workforce with the skills they need for success.”
The chart illustrates the achievements of JTG students in each of the areas measured by parent organization Jobs for America’s Graduates:
| JTG 2007 Achievement | JAG Goal | |
| Graduation Rate | 96.54% | 90% |
| Full-Time Placement Rate | 92.02% | 80% |
| Positive Outcome Rate | 84.89% | 80% |
| Full-Time Job Placement Rate | 71.51% | 60% |
| Civilian/Military Job Placement Rate | 66.29% | 60% |
“I want to applaud my 35 teachers in the 41 Senior School-to-Career Programs across the state,” JTG Executive Director Betsy Houston said. “This is a very prestigious award and extremely difficult to achieve.”
JTG specialists work with at-risk students during their senior year and remain in contact with participants for the full year after graduation from high school. The awards will be presented during the National Training Seminar in New Orleans July 7-11. For more information, contact Rachel Woods at (615) 253-1960 or Rachel.Woods@state.tn.us.
The Knoxville Chamber has released a report detailing the Workforce + Education Summit Follow Up Meeting events.
Various task forces and groups were created from this event, and will continue to meet to discuss the challenges and issues facing education and workforce.
Over 200 Knoxville businesspeople, area educators, parents, students, and others attended the Workforce Development and Education Summit follow-up meeting sponsored by EdAmerica and South College. Knoxville Chamber Workforce Development and Education Manager Ahnna Estes helped organize the event, hosted by Innovation Valley, Inc. at Cokesbury United Methodist Center, designed to create action plans that will solve issues identified during March’s summit.
“Participants will come away with an understanding of what is required from them as we move forward,” she said.
Knox County Mayor Mike Ragsdale led a panel discussion and spoke about the value of an educated workforce.
“Businesses are relocating and expanded to areas where a qualified workforce is available,” he said. “Our challenge here in Knoxville, Knox County, and East Tennessee is to make sure we have the country’s best workforce. Regardless of our outstanding quality of life here or our collective marketing efforts to attract businesses to the area, companies will find other places to call home if we don’t have qualified workers available.”
Attendees took part in five breakout sessions designed to develop action plans. Participants separated into Communications Campaign, Effective Teaching/Relevance Taskforce, Attracting and Retaining a Quality Workforce Taskforce, Bridging the Gap Between Higher Ed and Business Taskforce, and Under-Utilized Workforce Taskforce breakout sessions.
Chamber President and CEO Mike Edwards challenged those in attendance to focus on implementing action plans.
“Discipline yourselves not to talk about what the problems are,” he said. “We’ve already done that. Spend your time on action items and how we’re going to go about addressing the issues we face.”
For more information about the summit’s follow-up meeting or information about Workforce Development and Education, please contact Ahnna Estes, 865-246-2658.
Add comment