Roane State Community College receives grant to expand pathways to nuclear technology

Roane State Community College has received a $450,000 Governor’s Investment in Vocational Education grant in order to establish pathways for students to enter into nuclear technology studies at the school. Using long standing industry partnerships, the school has designed a curriculum that will set students up for success in the nuclear technology industry.

According to an article on Roane State Community College’s website, Dr. Chris Whaley, the president of Roane State Community College, explained how the nuclear technology program at the school has been designed to utilize industry partnerships with local employers to poise students for success. He is quoted as saying, “Our Nuclear Technology Program provides hands-on, industry-aligned education and training through partnerships with local schools and industries. The program offers a stackable credential model, starting with high school engagement through activities such as STEM days, nuclear labs, and career preparation. The goal is to expand our workforce pipeline, especially in the nuclear sector, which is critical to industries like healthcare, aerospace, and defense.”

The program’s web page describes the program as being taught by industry experts who will guide students through “hands-on nuclear operations,” with the program providing students with internships “to meet the short-term gap for skilled workers and technicians in the region.” The nuclear technology program is already in session for the semester, with both undergraduate students and people already working in the industry looking to upskill learning together.

The GIVE grant that Roane State Community College received for this project was first established in 2019 when Tennessee Governor Lee took office. The grant was created in order to help post secondary institutions create pathways for K-12 students to quickly and easily continue their education and then get into the field to address shortages in the local workforce.

The grant is helping the program leverage the school’s industry partnerships to improve the hands-on opportunities and available internships to students in the program.

Speaking of the benefits the state will see because of the various projects that are being funded by GIVE grants, Tennessee Board of Regents Chancellor Flora W. Tydings said, “The programs and projects funded by this latest round of GIVE Grants will create many new opportunities for Tennesseans to learn career-building skills to compete and advance in today’s technology-based economy, benefitting their families across generations and building strong communities. Our community and technical colleges are the front-line providers of academic, career, and technical education. We’re grateful to Governor Lee and the General Assembly for recognizing the need to bridge the skills gap and establishing the GIVE program to help close it.”

For more information about Roane State Community College, visit the school’s website.