By Wil Evans, Maury Chamber and Economic Alliance President
Traditional students graduating from high school and entering college, and non-traditional students looking to pursue college later in life, often face unique challenges and hurdles in their pursuit of a college degree and promising career.
On Thursday, November 16 the Maury County Chamber and Economic Alliance and Maury County Public Schools will host Ready, Set, #BeAGoodStat: Lifelong Learning, Inside & Outside the Classroom at the Columbia State Community College Ledbetter Auditorium from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
This panel-led event will take a hard look at potential challenges and reveal why some students and members of the workforce don’t pursue post secondary education, and will discuss solutions and resources available.
As the event approaches, we encourage community members to save the date and consider these eight reasons to attend:
- Students will learn more about Tennessee Promise, how to take advantage of it and why it can be a critical step towards a brighter future.
Tennessee Promise is a scholarship and mentoring program focused on increasing the number of students that attend college in Tennessee. It provides students a last-dollar scholarship that covers the cost of tuition and mandatory fees and can be used at any of the state’s 13 community colleges or 27 colleges of applied technology.
At Ready, Set, #BeAGoodStat, panelists will discuss what barriers may hinder some students from taking full advantage of the Tennessee Promise program, and solutions available to students and parents that can enable more students to participate.
- Students will have the opportunity to hear from current and former Columbia State Community College students who will share insight on their choices, future and next steps.
A current Columbia State Community College student attending through Tennessee Promise and a graduate of Columbia State Community College will share how their choice in taking part in Tennessee Promise aided their next step in life. This will be helpful to students and parents considering Tennessee Promise and enrollment at Columbia State.
- The panel will discuss outside-the-classroom opportunities and how these can factor into student workforce readiness.
Higher education can be valuable in attaining a lucrative career, but outside-the-classroom opportunities also play a role in student and workforce readiness. The panel will discuss the various opportunities available to students and people looking to enter the workforce or change career paths like internships, apprenticeships, volunteering and extracurricular activities.
- Those who are non-traditional students face different obstacles when going back to school, and the panel will discuss how Tennessee Reconnect can help.
Adults face some very different challenges when looking to go back to school whether it’s for a GED or to take advantage of Tennessee Reconnect, an initiative to help more Tennessee adults enter higher education. Finding the time within an existing work schedule and securing affordable childcare are just a couple of hurdles.
South Central Tennessee Reconnect Community Director Dwight Fox will shed light on these challenges and how to help non-traditional students succeed and advance in the workplace or fulfill a lifelong dream of completing a degree.
- Employers will share where ultimate opportunities exist for solid jobs and career futures, and how Tennessee Promise and Tennessee Reconnect have made an impact on hiring and workforce pipelines.
Employers rely on a solid pipeline of skilled, prospective employees to fill their hiring needs. Parker Hannifin Vice President of Innovation Ryan Pastrana will share his insight on how programs like Tennessee Promise and Tennessee Reconnect provide a valuable resource to employers.
- Parents will be provided advice on how to steer high-school aged children in a positive direction toward workforce-relevant education.
Parental involvement, encouragement and support is critical to children’s education. Ready, Set, #BeAGoodStat will equip parents with ways they can ensure their child takes the appropriate steps towards a successful future career and how to support their child through the process.
- The event offers unique perspectives from the view point of high school students, college students, recent college grads, employers and workforce development organizations.
Ready, Set, #BeAGoodStat takes a holistic approach in exploring the next steps after high school by incorporating a panel that provides view points from the perspective of high school students, college students, college graduates, employers, school administration and workforce development organizations. It’s an event that is beneficial for any member of the community to participate in to work towards advancing the future workforce in Maury County.
- Stakeholders and members throughout the community can learn how to help students fully embrace a path for the education they need for a better future, and what they can do to help.
Everyone in the community can play a role in generating positive statistics. We encourage people from all walks of life to support a pro-education culture. Ready, Set, #BeAGoodStat will share what community members can do to get involved.
To learn more about Ready, Set, #BeAGood Stat: Lifelong Learning, Inside & Outside the Classroom, and to follow updates, follow the event on Facebook.