Tennessee entered the Phase One New Skills for Youth (NSFY) planning and early implementation grant in the midst of a multi-year and multi-faceted workforce and economic development initiative called the Drive to 55 campaign. As such, the state was able to use the opportunity under NSFY to build on and accelerate work already underway. During the six-month Phase One grant, Tennessee finished asset mapping regional career preparation systems in the state, supporting the creation of an action plan to expand equitable access to quality career pathways statewide. During Phase One, Tennessee executed a cross-institutional data-sharing memorandum of understanding (MOU) and developed a plan that leverages its data to streamline career pathways, drives continuous improvement at the local level and targets closing equity gaps.
Phase One of JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s New Skills for Youth grant extended from May to October 2016. With bold visions for improving career readiness in K-12 education, each Phase One state spent the grant period performing a diagnostic assessment of their career preparation system and preparing for implementation of a new action plan. This snapshot describes Tennessee’s experience and progress in Phase One, including promising practices and innovations. Additional snapshots from other Phase One New Skills for Youth states are available here.
