Bill Haslam
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Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam in December announced the recipients of the Labor Education Alignment Program, or LEAP, competition, a state effort focused on increasing opportunities for Tennesseans to obtain a certificate or degree beyond high school that is aligned with the needs of the workforce in their communities.
“These types of intentional partnerships between local agencies and their colleges or TCATS are what we want to see across the state as a significant piece of the Drive to 55 initiative,†Haslam said. “Tying the training and skills that our colleges are teaching directly to current workforce needs will help more Tennesseans qualify for good paying, high quality jobs.â€
The communities and colleges selected as LEAP recipients exemplify the collaboration and alignment between workforce needs and higher education that are at the core of the Drive to 55,†Haslam said.
Below is a list of LEAP Grant Recipients:
| Local Agency | Higher Education Institution | Grant Amount |
| East Tennessee Development District | Roane State Community College | $970,000.00 |
| Greater Memphis Alliance for a Competitive Workforce | Southwest Tennessee Community College | $743,500.00 |
| Jackson Regional Partnership | Jackson State Community College | $900,000.00 |
| Nashville Technology Council | Nashville State Community College | $850,000.00 |
| North Tennessee Workforce Board | Nashville State Community College | $992,037.00 |
| Northwest Tennessee Workforce Board | Dyersburg State Community College | $850,000.00 |
| Smoky Mountain Area Workforce Board | Walters State Community College | $988,000.00 |
| South Central Tennessee Development District | TCAT Shelbyville | $970,000.00 |
| South Central Tennessee Workforce Alliance | TCAT- Pulaski | $970,000.00 |
| South Central Tennessee Workforce Alliance | Columbia State Community College | $135,918.00 |
| Southeast Tennessee Development District | TCAT Athens | $946,280.00 |
| Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency | TCAT Livingston | $684,000.00 |
Funded by a $10 million appropriation by the General Assembly, the LEAP competition required applicants to respond to a competitive Request for Proposals that was released in September. Proposals were reviewed and selected by the Governor’s Workforce Subcabinet, consisting of Commissioners and staff from the following agencies:
- Tennessee Board of Regents,
- Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development,
- Tennessee Department of Education,
- Tennessee Department of Human Services,
- Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, and
- Tennessee Higher Education Commission.
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