Three West Tennessee workforce development collaboratives are among 12 recipients statewide that were chosen to receive a major grant under the state’s new Labor Education Alignment Program (LEAP).
The grants include:
- $743,500 to the Greater Memphis Alliance for a Competitive Workforce in conjunction with Southwest Tennessee Community College
- $850,000 to the Northwest Tennessee Workforce Board in conjunction with Dyersburg State Community College
- $900,000 to Jackson Regional Partnership in conjunction with Jackson State Community College
The project affects students at the colleges’ campuses in the Greater Memphis area, Dyersburg, Covington, Jackson, Newbern, Ripley, Lexington, Crump, McKenzie, Paris, Whiteville and Brownsville.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for West Tennessee to provide a skilled workforce and opportunities for Tennesseans to work, earn and learn,” said Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris (R-Collierville), who sponsored legislation creating LEAP.
The program enables students in Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology and community colleges to participate in technical training developed with input from area employers. Norris said the grants enable collaborative efforts by business, government and institutions of higher learning to facilitate job training and relevant education, while giving state and local economic development leaders a boost as they recruit new industry.
