East Tennessee workforce incentives explained
Representatives from TNECD and the East Tennessee Local Workforce Development Board gathered at the Blount Partnership last week to walk area employers through the financial incentives, grants and workforce programs available to them.
The 16-county East Tennessee workforce area currently spends roughly $13 million annually through its American Job Center network. Blount County stands out within that footprint, carrying a labor force participation rate of 60.1% — above the area average of 59.3%.
So, why host this kind of programming if Blount is already leading the pack?
With growing nuclear, AI and advanced manufacturing developments on the horizon paired with the need to have a strong workforce for these industries, Gary Human, East Tennessee Regional Director for the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD), said it never hurts to remind local businesses what resources are on the table.
Joining Human was E.L. Morton, executive director of the East Tennessee Human Resource Agency (ETHRA), a proud partner of the American Job Center Tennessee that operates several centers across the region.
What employers need to know:
- Youth wage reimbursement: Employers who hire workers ages 14–24 can be reimbursed for up to four weeks of wages at up to $16 per hour, capped at 25 hours per week, through a state-funded program. This year’s $8 million statewide allotment runs through June 30, with funding expected to continue next year.
- On-the-job training grants: Businesses that hire income-qualified workers enrolled at an American Job Center can have up to half of a $16 hourly wage offset for several months.
- Incumbent worker training: Grants of up to $25,000 are available to offset costs when employers bring in trainers for new software, equipment or skill sets.
- Apprenticeship incentives: The workforce board has roughly $220,000 annually to spread across apprenticeship programs region-wide, and leaders are lobbying for even more.
- Tax credits: Federal tax credits are planned to be available to employers who hire justice-involved individuals, with the highest credit going to justice-involved veterans.
For more information, email the Blount Chamber‘s Director of Workforce Development, Jessica Belitz.
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