WIOA Scholarship Provides Opportunity for IT Career
Nathan Crenshaw graduated from high school with a desire to continue his education, but fears of student loan debt led him to get a job instead. He soon realized that in order to further his career he was going to need to go back to school. After Nathan expressed an interest in computer technology, his friends and family urged him to look into the Information Technology Systems Management program at TCAT-McKenzie.
The NWTN Workforce Board was pleased to have guest Mitch Fielder, Owner and Operator of Chick-fil-A Dyersburg, speak on "Betting on Talent: Maximizing Impact of Employee Engagement."
Employers and Justice Involved Individuals Benefit
The Tennessee Department of Labor’s Office of Re-entry awarded the Northwest Tennessee Workforce Board a grant to serve both employers and justice involved individuals to assist in reducing the rate of recidivism in our community. In 2021 the rate of recidivism in Tennessee was roughly 46%. This means almost half of all those released from jail or prison were estimated to return within three years. A major reason is due to the process of re-entry, returning to society after incarceration, being difficult.
WIOA Helps Student Transition from High School to TCAT to Employment
My name is Collin Niegocki. After High School, I was enchanted by the concept of Heating and Cooling and was encouraged to think about becoming a student at the HVAC program at TCAT. Shortly thereafter, I decided to enroll at the TCAT-McKenzie school in the HVAC program in Fall 2020. I earned my credential in the HVAC program from TCAT-McKenzie in Fall 2021 and began working at Culley Mechanical Services.
Veteran Recieves Training to Start New Truckdriving Career
William ‘Shawn’ Clark came into the American Job Center in Humboldt at the end of June 2021. An unemployed veteran, he was eager to go to school to earn his CDL.

HEALTHCARE CAREER EXPLORATION COMES TO LAKE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL
On Friday, April 22, 2022, Lake County High School (LCHS) hosted a joint healthcare event involving local healthcare employers and Dyersburg State Community College (DSCC). First, five senior level students engaged in healthcare curriculum at the high school participated in mock interviews. Zabian Sanders of Signature Healthcare in Ridgely and Jennifer Bentley of Lake County Primary Care served as the interviewers, enabling the students to prepare for the employment interview in healthcare careers, as well as post-secondary healthcare programs which require interviews as part of the application process.
The February Labor Force Estimates were recently released showing the unemployment rate decreased in all 95 counties.
The unemployment rate increased in all 95 counties. Williamson County had the lowest unemployment rate at 2.2% and Perry County had the highest unemployment rate at 9.2%. Lake County had the third highest rate at 6.4%. Overall, our area’s rate increased to 3.9% from the revised December rate of 3.3%, for a total of 4,163 unemployed out of a labor force of 105,890.
The NWTN Workforce Board is proud to bring the first 2022 exciting and informative quarterly webinar to you, now available for viewing online!
Jarrod Ashby begin training with Roadrunner Driving School, LLC, Sharon, TN in September 2021. Jerrod, pictured on the right of Roadrunner Driving School owner and instructor, Richard Milam, completed a total of 160 hours of training ending October 2021.
The U.S. Senate recently passed a resolution declaring September 2021 as Workforce Development Month and acknowledging that workforce development plays a crucial role in supporting workers and growing the economy.
Check out the 2020-2021 Annual Report presented at the NWTN Workforce Board Annual Board Meeting! (Click image below to view the report.)
The NW TN Workforce Board is proud to bring this third exciting and informative quarterly webinar to you!
The Business Services Division for the Northwest TN Workforce Board, along with Connie Stewart - Director of WIOA Services, guests from the TN Department of Labor, and local employers, will share the #WorkLife Program for building a pipeline of young talent to fill the workforce needs of NW TN.

Please join us for our next Workforce Services webinar on a new tool available to schools and students at no cost through the Northwest Tennessee Workforce Board and American Job Centers – www.VirtualJobShadow.com.
On July 28, 2021, TNDepartment of Labor & Workforce Development Commissioner Jeff McCord met with nearly 100 workforce and economic development professionals, educators, and employers from across Northwest TN to discuss workforce strategies to address worker shortages and other challenges.