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TN BLU-SkillSPAN addresses policy barriers that prevent employers from filling middle skills jobs. We collaborate with over 65 chambers, employers, community-based organizations, state and metro agencies to make sure that every individual has access to the education and training they need to secure a good job.
View events, funding opportunities, and other ways to engage with us below!
Policy and Advocacy
The following issues are priorities for 2024:
1. Increase access to programs that support essential needs, with an emphasis on childcare, along with needs such as housing affordability and transportation, so adults from diverse backgrounds are more able to work and participate in skills education and training. 
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2. Expand access to workforce training (career and technical education, work-based learning, short-term credentials, apprenticeships) so workers can quickly acquire the necessary skills for a new or current job. 
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3. Implement policies that lead to increased enrollment at Tennessee Community Colleges and Colleges of Applied Technology, including refining TN Promise, closing the gap between TN Promise and TN Reconnect, increasing supports and debt-free financial aid for part-time students, reducing tuition barriers for students who do not qualify for in-state tuition, allowing state institutions to write off past-due balances that keep people from re-enrolling, and allowing state institutions to release transcripts to individuals with a past-due balance. 
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4. Ensure businesses are consulted early in the review process to create credentials of value.
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5. Increase opportunity for early colleges at Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology by adding TCAT eligibility to the state’s Middle College scholarship. 
Upcoming Events
External Funding Opportunities
Tennessee's New Care Partnership Grants: Enhancing Child Care Services for Families
Explore Tennessee's innovative initiative with New Care Partnership Grants aimed at bolstering child care services for families across the state. Learn about the program's objectives, eligibility criteria, and how it contributes to ensuring quality care for children while supporting families' needs. More information can be found here.