CAREER ADVISING FOR TENNESSEE STUDENTS Written by: Sandy Jones TSBA Board of Directors’ Services Coordinator Over the years, it has become apparent when looking at labor market information (LMI) that there is an increased need for career readiness for many technical jobs. According to a report by the National Skills Coalition, middle-skill jobs account for 54 percent of the United States’ labor market, but only 44 percent of the country’s workers are trained at the middle-skill level. These middle-skill jobs, such as mechanics or dental assistants, are often hands-on and require a great deal of creativity, making them challenging to eliminate, automate, or otherwise outsource. Given the industry’s disengagement within the education system, they are currently certain to face a painful shortage for quite some time (Symonds, Schwartz, & Ferguson, 2011). With this shortage on the horizon, shouldn’t we, as public education advocates, provide every possible avenue to prepare today’s students for tomorrow’s jobs? Shouldn’t those educating the community’s youth know, not only where a student’s interests and skill sets are, but also what jobs are available within the community and the skills and requirements needed for being successful in those particular jobs? This is the exact goal of the career readiness implementation plan that is currently being used to assist five rural school districts in Tennessee. In an attempt to better focus on career readiness efforts, the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have collaborated to pool resources, and the USDA has awarded the TBR a $250,000.00 grant to create a framework that helps school districts in assisting students with the development of career goals and creating awareness of future job opportunities. The grant will provide assistance for five rural school districts: Chester County, Decatur County, Henderson County, Lexington City, and Perry County. USDA Rural Development Tennessee State Director Jim Tracy said the grant program proposal submitted by the TBR is the first of its kind to be funded by the USDA and that it can serve as a model for similar programs across the nation. Pictured left to right: Troy Kilzer, Chester County Director of Schools; Dr. Flora W. Tydings, Tennessee Board of Regents Chancellor; and Jim Tracy, USDA Rural Development State Director 14 JOURNAL | SPRING 2021