From the President’s Desk (August 2025)

Investing in Your Future Workforce

As our kids begin the school year, as a parent, leader and business owner, it is important to keep workforce development on the top of your mind. Those “kids” will be your future leaders and employees, and your contributions and investments into each group will determine how they end up as a workforce product.

We have an amazing school system, but it is incumbent on parents and their support systems to assist in developing a child’s soft skills, especially their work ethic. Remember, a school exists to educate, not raise. One upcoming event that will happen this fall is our Future Ready Expo which places regional 8th graders in front of 4 sectors of business, industry and service companies to begin thinking about their potential career paths. Of course their mind will change plenty, but allowing those kids to talk with business leaders may shape how they view education and what skills are needed to enter their chosen career fields. It is also a way to make a great first impression with potential future employers.

Over 2,000 students from the region are expected at this event, and based on our county’s workforce coming from outside Hamblen county at a rate of over 50%, it is incumbent on us that we include the region when we make efforts to promote our business and industry. We hope you are signed up for this NO COST event or will contact us to learn more about it to possibly be included next year!