School History
The Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology were originally established as a statewide system by the enactment of the Tennessee Legislature during the 1963 General Assembly as State Area Vocational-Technical Schools. This system operated under the supervision of the Tennessee State Board of Education until June 30, 1983. At that time the Tennessee Board of Regents became the governing entity and the names changed to Tennessee Technology Centers. On July 01, 2013, the twenty-seven TTC’s became the Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology.
The first class began on January 02, 1968, and graduated in December 1969. The post-secondary training for adults and qualified high school students has been an ongoing process that attracts approximately 200+ each trimester.
School Summary and Program Information
TCAT Jacksboro offers fourteen programs at the main campus location; Administrative Office Technology, Automotive Technology, Building Construction Technology, Computer Information Technology, Cosmetology Technology, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration, Machine Tool Technology, Manufacturing Technology, Pharmacy Technology, Power Sports Technology, Practical Nursing, Residential, Commercial and Industrial Electricity, Retail, Hospitality, and Tourism Technology, and Welding Technology. We also offer Nursing Aide for secondary education only. You may earn a diploma at the completion of the chosen program or at designated exit points different certificates may be awarded with the exception of Practical Nursing. Classes meet four days a week for full-time students, from 8 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. for three equal trimesters totaling 432 clock hours in any given calendar year. We have an open entry, open exit policy, with enrollments at the beginning of each trimester (January, May, and September) and again at the midway point of each trimester, approximately 216 hours into each term. Of course if a part-time schedule is needed to accommodate an adult student, their required training hours for a diploma does not change, just the program length.
Special industry training is tailor-made to the needs of the industry and governed to their specifics. This may result from plant equipment upgrades, cross-training requirements or career development plans generated through performance appraisals, employee desires, regulatory requirements, etc. Supplemental classes are offered to meet the needs of the community, these are not diploma tract offerings.
TCAT Jacksboro’s yearly enrollment is approximately 180 to 200 students.
Our personnel structure includes one President, one Vice President, one Financial Aid Coordinator, one part-time Practical Nursing Coordinator, two Facility Support staff, one part-time Facility Support staff, one Technology Foundations Instructor, three Student Support persons, and two financial support persons. One instructor teaches both Administrative Office Technology and Retail, Hospitality, and Tourism. In Automotive, Cosmetology, and Practical Nursing we have two full-time instructors, and one instructor for each of our other full-time programs.
Community Characteristics
TCAT Jacksboro’s main campuse is located in Campbell County, Tennessee. The counties served are Campbell, Scott, Anderson, and Claiborne. The area is primarily mountainous with many remote locations. Approximately 65% of the land is agricultural and rural, 35% is habitable space. The largest major industry sector in 2014 was manufacturing with health care, social assistance, and retail trade following according to the Tennessee Department of Labor’s labor market database called Jobs4TN.
Tennessee’s Economic Community Development website statistics quote the population in Anderson County, as 75,528, Campbell County 39,918, Claiborne County 31,592, and Scott County 21,987. The average income levels in Anderson County is $40,361, Campbell County $30,473, Claiborne County $29,879, and Scott County $26,374 The high school graduation rates in Anderson County as 79.5%, Campbell County 62.5%, Claiborne County 71%, and Scott County 71.1%. As of September 2015 the unemployment rate reported in Anderson County as 6.3%, Campbell County 8.6%, Claiborne County 7.9%, and Scott County 11.2%. With these statistics it is understandable that approximately 90 per cent of our full-time enrolled students receive financial aid in the form of Federal Pell Grant, Tennessee Lottery, Tennessee Promise, and/or Tennessee Reconnect.
TCAT Jacksboro’s Student Services personnel attend the college and career days hosted at the four county areas high schools, host numerous open house tours when high schools can attend them, and continue to reach out to prospective students through our website and Facebook accounts.
The economic outlook for our service area remains hopeful and our ears are always open to suggestions for needed training and/or re-training in the current markets that TCAT Jacksboro serve.