TENNESSEE VALLEY Authority (TVA) Economic Development is investing in Franklin County and its workforce. Recently, TVA Economic Development created Workforce Invest, a grant-matching program, to help train and/or rebuild the workforce.
According to Franklin County Industrial Development Board (FCIDB) director Kelli Riley, the FCIDB recently partnered with Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) at Franklin County, on this grant.
“Together, we applied for equipment to train students, current industry employees, and others on the Mitsubishi Electric Programmable Logic Control (PLC) equipment. The grant focuses on training the unskilled workforce for the future of manufacturing. The Workforce Invest grant will assist in the costs of the Mitsubishi Electric PLC equipment. Mitsubishi Electric will supply the training and licenses of the TCAT instructors.”
Riley added that technology is continually changing through informational technology all the way to robotics and automation in manufacturing. Grants such as these will help the county keep up-to-date on these changes.
“Franklin County has numerous employers and industries in manufacturing,” said Riley. “As these industries begin to advance further into the automation of manufacturing, the awarding of this grant will have individuals trained skillfully to enter these positions. It will give proper training for the underskilled, unskilled, and those that need to be reskilled to enter or continue in the workforce.”
Riley said the grant will include the Mitsubishi Electric PLC training being adapted into the TCAT Industrial Maintenance program along with an automation robotics course that will provide skilled labor to current and future industries in the county.
Local high school students will also be able to take advantage of the grant. Both Franklin County High School and Huntland High School students who participate in dual enrollment can begin their training with the Mitsubishi Electric PLC equipment, to prepare to enter the workforce. GN