Spot Lowe Technology Center is Why We Celebrate CTE Month

 


February is CTE month, a time to bring awareness to the value of career and technical education for students and the nation’s economy. According to the Association for Career and Technical Education’s Tennessee Fact Sheet, our state is experiencing a skills gap: 
56 percent of Tennessee jobs require education beyond high school
(but less than a four-year degree) and
only 49 percent of workers are trained at that level.
Governor Lee’s budget proposal includes $2.5 million in nonrecurring funds to support the Future Workforce Initiative — including CTE teacher training — and $500 million for CTE grants to middle and high schools. This funding could put more Tennessee students on a path to workforce-aligned learning opportunities that prepare them for careers. Tennessee has 16 career clusters designed to prepare students for career fields and postsecondary success. 
In Marshall County, the Spot Lowe Technology Center with Principal Lyn Stacey and his staff are an asset that largely goes unnoticed unless you are one of the many employers in Marshall County that have benefited from the training, education, life-lessons and partnerships it provides. Or maybe you are one of the countless students that have benefited from the training and networking it provided to you that gave you that much-needed first steps into the career you today enjoy. 
If you ever get a chance to thank any member of the Spot Lowe Technology Team, or even better, if you have a chance to lend them your support, your efforts and funding will not be wasted. They are making a difference in the workforce quality and alignment for our business and industry community and they are making a real difference in the advancement of careers for Marshall County students. 
Be sure to follow the #CTEinTN hashtag to learn more about CTE in Tennessee.