Stories of Technology, Innovation, & Entrepreneurship in the Southeast

Last week, the Knoxville Chamber hosted a panel discussion on “Scaling Apprenticeships to Meet Regional Workforce Needs” to celebrate National Apprenticeship Week.

Before the panel dove in, Amanda O’Dell, vice president of investor development and experience at the Chamber, reflected on what this event meant to her. She admitted that the Chamber had actually stepped back from apprenticeship programming in recent years due to historically low turnout and the push for internship engagement.

But, knowing that East Tennessee has seen a boom in skilled trades with the rising nuclear and advanced manufacturing demands, there has been a shift in this mindset. She was thrilled by the packed room and knew the timing for this conversation was just right.

She then gave the floor to Dewayne Scott, deputy commissioner with the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, to set the stage on where the state stands with apprenticeships.

An easier process

Scott explained that back in 2022, Tennessee made the process to take advantage of apprenticeships easier. Instead of having to go through the paperwork and all the necessary hoops at the federal level, participants now only have to file with their local agencies.

And Tennesseans have already begun taking advantage of this.

“There are over 917 active employers with 13,000 apprentices, including 5,000 youth aged 16-24. Every employer is struggling with at least one of three labor pain points: filling vacancies, retention, and a pipeline. Apprenticeship is an excellent strategy that addresses all three of those challenges,” ended Scott, before he opened the conversation up to the panel.

Key takeaways

The panel brought together leaders from local industry like CGI, Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), UT Medical Center, Pellissippi State Community College, and Messer Construction.

• The business case is real. Apprenticeships offer a 94% retention rate and $1.46 return on every dollar invested. 
• It’s not just trades. Active programs exist in healthcare, IT, early childhood education and more.
• Don’t pit internships against apprenticeships. Apprenticeships are longer, always paid and tied to a defined career path. Internships have looser terms. Both prep workers for careers and deserve respect.
• Know your region. What works in Knoxville will not work in rural towns. Transportation, childcare and travel distance are real barriers that have to be accounted for before a program is ever designed.
• Fix the funding incentives. Too much emphasis is placed on recruitment, not enough on retention. Incentives should reward employers who keep apprentices over time instead of the amount of apprentices onboarded.
• Wages matter more than people think. A starting wage at 58% of journeyman pay cannot compete with entry-level retail in the Knoxville area. Bumping that to 71% made a measurable difference in TVA’s recruitment.
• Get into schools early. Reaching students ages 16–18 is critical. Some local employers are already touching thousands of students annually through work-based learning and job shadows. “Earn and learn” models let students work 25 hours a week in their field while finishing an associate’s degree.
• Technology is reshaping training. Modern construction apprenticeships now use robotics, drones and project management software. In IT, modular, adaptable training is the answer due to ever-changing tech trends.
• You don’t have to start big. Programs can be as small as one apprentice at one company or as large as 300-plus. There is no union affiliation required.

Learn more about starting your own apprenticeship program today.

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