CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — As manufacturers across Middle Tennessee continue searching for qualified workers, Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) Dickson is launching a new program aimed at building a workforce pipeline for one of Clarksville's largest industries.
TCAT announced Wednesday that its Clarksville campus will begin offering a Tile Manufacturing Operator program this fall, preparing students for careers in the ceramic tile manufacturing industry. The program comes as local employers seek workers with technical skills needed to operate and maintain increasingly automated manufacturing equipment.
According to TCAT Dickson President Laura Travis, the program is part of a broader effort by TCAT and the Tennessee Board of Regents to expand workforce training opportunities in industries facing high demand for skilled employees. "This is about workforce readiness and creating career pathways," Travis said during the announcement.
The need is especially apparent in Clarksville, where Florim Tile and two other ceramic tile manufacturers operate in the city's industrial park. Industry leaders say those facilities offer long-term career opportunities for workers with the right technical training.
Because of the proximity of those employers, students completing the program could potentially find jobs just across the street from where they train.
Training for a Modern Manufacturing Environment
Leading the new tile manufacturing program will be instructor Andrew White, who said the curriculum is designed around the realities of modern manufacturing.
Rather than focusing primarily on manual labor, the program will train students to monitor, operate, troubleshoot, and repair the automated systems that keep manufacturing lines running. "When you know how to fix things and how to operate things, you're more confident on how to do it," White said.
To prepare students for those challenges, much of the program will focus on diagnosing and solving simulated equipment failures. "It's not just about, 'Oh, there's a problem, I need to find it.' It's where the problem lies and where to go from there," White explained.
Students Helping Build the Program
Current TCAT student Dillon Austin is among those helping White develop simulations for future students.
Austin said the exercises are designed to mimic real-world manufacturing issues. "I'll have it cause a break in the line and they'll have to figure out where exactly it's at," Austin said.
White said partnerships with area manufacturers are helping ensure students will train using systems and interfaces similar to what they'll encounter on the job. "It's good to sit down and work through it and talk about it," White said.
The goal, according to White, is to have graduates prepared to contribute immediately when they enter the workforce. "When these people get out in the industry, they're ready to go, they're ready to work from day one, no questions asked," White said.
Program Details
The Tile Manufacturing Operator program is expected to launch at TCAT Clarksville this fall, with classes beginning in September or October. The program will take approximately six months to complete.
Additional information about admissions and application requirements is available by clicking here.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Chris.Davis@NewsChannel5.com.
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