Tag: Chamber of Commerce

University of Tennessee launches College of Emerging and Collaborative Studies

Posted on April 18, 2024 by - Uncategorized

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) creates a talent pipeline for local companies, and for years it has been sustainable. However, things started to shift once artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning hit the workplace. Now, everything is changing, and the skills of emerging young professionals need to change, too.

According to the Technology Skills Gap survey by the Knoxville Chamber and the Knoxville Technology Council, local businesses want to hire people with AI skills and would be willing to pay them more. Young professionals cite a lack of good-paying jobs in the city, and according to the 2023 Career Outcomes Report generated by UTK, the median salary for a graduating student is $56,384.

Enter UTK’s new College of Emerging and Collaborative Studies (CECS), created to train students to be innovative, technology-forward thinkers in any field or industry they enter. The new college will produce competitive applicants with relevant, timely skills that businesses are looking for and provide students with the higher salary positions they seek.

Read entire article from Teknovation.biz

The Dialogue with Natalie Crede

Posted on April 14, 2024 by - Uncategorized

Natalie Crede

This feature is a question-and-answer session with a new Blount County Chamber member. So, here we go with our 209th installment visiting with Natalie Crede, owner and consultant of Bloom Leadership Development and Consulting, LLC, which helps leaders reach their full potential so people and businesses can thrive and create a better, brighter future.

Natalie Crede

Tell me more about your business. As a point of passion, I’m in the business of people. Without people there’s no business. So, I work with CEOs, entrepreneurs, HR, and leadership teams to connect people to business strategies, shape their company cultures and develop their leaders through leadership consulting, personalized coaching and leadership development workshops.

Describe your customers. My clients are typically decision-makers, i.e., CEOs, entrepreneurs, HR, and leadership teams at small, mid-size, or large organizations who are looking to strengthen their company culture and/or leadership capability, whether it’s for an individual leader, leadership team or a company-wide initiative. They already recognize the importance of leadership to their business success, especially in today’s rapidly evolving business climate, but may not have the internal resources to support or help them build their development strategy

How did you get started? While building my career in organizational health and human resource management, I’ve led all the components those things encompass. But my passion has always been leadership development. I’ve learned that you can have the best products, services, policies and programs in place, but business success comes down to having great leaders who inspire people to bring their best. That’s when the magic happens. So, after a dynamic corporate career, I walked away to pursue my passion and pay it forward by helping others succeed.

What is your background? Years and years of ongoing research, study, hard work, and experience. I started on the ground floor, which felt like the basement, as an HR clerk and worked my way to the top. It helped that I’ve been very fortunate to work with fast-growing national and global businesses where work experience is gained in dog years and you find yourself wearing hats you never thought you would. Couple that with the benefit of working with brilliant people (with and without titles) and I’ve wound up with a ton of experience as life’s best teacher.

What impacts your business environment? The requirements of effective leadership have dramatically changed, even within the past five years. The days of simply having functional expertise and managing people by telling them what to do and when to do it are gone. Although basic business goals are generally the same, HOW leaders go about achieving these goals couldn’t have changed more. Today’s leaders are expected to inspire and influence people in an era of broadened perspectives and changing values in a multi-generational workforce, supersonic technological advancements, industry globalization, information overload, political tension and ambiguity as we look toward our future. As demands increase, my work is about helping leaders navigate and get in front of today’s challenges with relevant and practical skill-building to support their success.

What do you enjoy most about your career? It’s hard to narrow down what I enjoy most about owning and operating my own business. It’s invigorating to fully concentrate on my passion and purpose, stimulating to learn something new every day, and fulfilling to know that I just might be able to make a positive impact. What’s not to enjoy?

Pellissippi State commits to recruiting more students to advanced manufacturing 

Posted on April 5, 2024 by - Uncategorized

Pellissippi State Community College kicked off a three-year challenge Wednesday to attract and recruit 1,000 students into advanced manufacturing and connect them with industry partners. 

More than 30 representatives from local manufacturing companies, K-12 school systems, chambers of commerce and the college were on hand to learn more about the SME (Society of Manufacturing Engineers) Manufacturing Imperative – Workforce Pipeline Challenge.  

Pellissippi State President L. Anthony Wise Jr. said the partnership aligns with the college’s roots as a technical institute. 

“We are committed to building the next generation of manufacturing professionals,” Wise said. “The sustainability of the industry depends on the development of the talent pipeline.” 

The alliance between Pellissippi State and SME is designed to build awareness of careers in manufacturing and accelerate the education and skill development needed to place Tennessee students in jobs making family-sustaining wages. 

The challenge comes as the manufacturing industry faces an estimated 2.7 million unfilled jobs by 2030. Together with SME, Pellissippi State will work to develop strategies that will strengthen the manufacturing workforce in East Tennessee. 

Pellissippi State is one of only 25 schools in the country invited to participate in the challenge with each college tasked with attracting 1,000 students into manufacturing jobs over the next three years. 

For more information on Pellissippi State’s partnership with SME and the Workforce Pipeline Challenge, or to learn more about opportunities to engage with and support the program, contact Patty Weaver, vice president of external affairs for Pellissippi State, at [email protected]. 

Ford Recognized by Tennessee Chamber

Posted on March 27, 2024 by - Uncategorized

Tammi Ford, Vice President of Blount Partnership, was recently recognized as one of the first seven chamber of commerce executives to receive an inaugural designation from the state.

The Tennessee Chamber of Commerce Executives established the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce Executive Designation Program to recognize the professional competence of chamber of commerce executives in the State of Tennessee.

“It’s truly humbling to be recognized as a Tennessee Chamber of Commerce Executive and to be counted among the dedicated individuals in Tennessee striving to enhance their communities,” said Ford.  “Serving the business community through both the Blount County Chamber of Commerce and the Blount Partnership has been more than just a role for me—it’s been my genuine calling and passion.”

The designation is based on experience, service to TCCE, training, continuing education and professional achievement. Recipients receive professional certification that can be included in their profile, biography and resume.