Chattanooga, Tenn. — Hamilton County Schools (HCS), in partnership with Chattanooga 2.0, the Hamilton County Mayor’s Office, the City of Chattanooga, Associated General Contractors (AGC), IBEW Local 175, and UA Local 43 Plumbers and Steamfitters, today celebrated Hamilton County being named as one of nine regions selected to participate in Bloomberg Philanthropies’ new $90 million national skilled trades initiative, which expands registered apprenticeship opportunities for students interested in skilled trade careers. Hamilton County is one of only two locations in the Southeastern region.
Led by Chattanooga 2.0, and supported by a $9 million investment from Bloomberg Philanthropies, the program aims to serve as many as 600 high school students annually through skilled trades CTE coursework, with an estimated 120 students per year connecting to apprenticeships following graduation. Hamilton County is projected to have roughly 1,160 trade jobs available in the next year alone. This initiative will be working to close the skilled labor gap in our community, while creating pathways for students to lead successful careers after graduation.
“Expanding skilled trades pathways is critical to ensuring each and every student has intentional opportunities to pursue their interests while they build the skills, industry connections, and confidence they need to connect their education to thriving-wage careers after graduation,” shared Dr. Justin Robertson, Superintendent of Hamilton County Schools.
“Bloomberg Philanthropies’ investment reflects the momentum in Hamilton County, and serves as a powerful signal of what is possible when education, industry, and community align around a shared vision for student success.”
Students will have increased access to career exploration, technical training, work-based learning experiences, and pre-apprenticeship opportunities that connect directly to Registered Apprenticeships in fields including construction, electrical work, plumbing, welding and HVAC. The initiative also represents a long-term investment in Hamilton County’s workforce by connecting students directly with careers that are essential to our community’s continued growth. By bringing together education, business, labor organizations, and local government, the initiative will create a coordinated approach to addressing workforce needs while ensuring more students have access to thriving-wage careers close to home.
“This investment marks a massive step forward in Hamilton County, officially reestablishing a strong partnership between our public schools and local trade unions.” said Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp. “Through this initiative, we will create direct pathways to high-quality careers for students from every single community in our county. Bloomberg Philanthropies’ confidence in Hamilton County, alongside some of the most prominent cities in America, is validation that our commitment to career and technical education is leading the nation.”
“This investment validates Chattanooga’s collaborative strength in bringing schools, industry, and civic leaders together,” said Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly. “By expanding Chattanooga 2.0’s pathways into the skilled trades, we are directly advancing the One Chattanooga vision—giving students the support they need to explore their interests, build in-demand skills, and launch thriving-wage careers right here at home.”
The initiative is supported by industry and labor partners who will help provide mentorship, work-based learning experiences, and direct connections to Registered Apprenticeships.
“The solution to the labor shortage in construction starts with showing young people the strong opportunity that exists in the skilled trades,” said Arch Willingham, Board Chair of AGC East Tennessee. “This partnership creates clear, supported pathways for the next generation of builders, tradespeople, and leaders. East Tennessee’s construction community is committed to investing in those pathways, because the young people we help into careers today are the ones who will build this region’s future.”
“The electrical industry is growing at a pace we’ve not seen in our lifetime, and the IBEW is excited to partner with our county schools to ensure we properly prepare young people to enter our joint apprenticeship programs and embark on a path to family-sustaining careers in the trade,” said Curtis Sharpe, International Vice President for IBEW Tenth District.
“By investing in student exposure and availability to apprenticeships in welding, pipefitting, plumbing, and HVAC, The United Association and Local 43 are not just training workers—they are building the future backbone of our communities,” said Joe Coke, President and Training Coordinator of UA Local 43 Plumbers and Steamfitters. “Skilled trades create careers with purpose, strengthen our infrastructure, and ensure the next generation is prepared to meet the demands of an evolving workforce with a sustainable wage, knowledge, craftsmanship, and pride.”
Bloomberg Philanthropies’ investment will support HCS Future Ready Centers and the Construction Career Center through facilities renovations, the purchase of additional equipment, personnel resources, and program delivery to support a pipeline of students into high-wage trade careers. Most notably, the funding will also support a competency-based portfolio system that provides a validated record of students’ skills and readiness for employers and unions.
“Millions of good-paying jobs are going unfilled, and too many students never get a chance to learn the skills necessary to get them. This new initiative will help change that,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg LP and Bloomberg Philanthropies and three-term mayor of New York City. “By bringing schools, unions, and employers together as partners, we can offer students free training and credentials that lead directly to rewarding careers. Jobs in the skilled trades helped build America’s middle class, and now they can help a new generation enter and strengthen it.”
