Written by 
Gov. Bill Lee and the Tennessee Higher Education Commission recently announced that Roane State has been awarded a $450,000 grant through the Governor’s Investment in Vocational Education (GIVE) program.
The GIVE program, established soon after Gov. Lee took office in 2019, is designed to address skills gaps in Tennessee’s workforce by supporting the development of career pathways that connect postsecondary institutions with local K-12 school systems and local employers.
This is the third round of GIVE grants to be awarded and will allocate a total of $41 million to foster regional partnerships between community colleges, Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology (TCATs), and local industries. The new funding will support 23 projects statewide, through partnerships based at 20 different community colleges and TCATs.
Roane State applied for a GIVE Grant to leverage regional workforce partnerships and create secondary to postsecondary pathways for nuclear technology at the college. The program is a partnership with the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce, University of Tennessee, Oak Ridge Schools, Anderson County Schools, Morgan County Schools, East Tennessee Economic Council (ETEC), Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU), TRISO-X, UCOR, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), and CNS Y-12.
“Our Nuclear Technology Program provides hands-on, industry-aligned education and training through partnerships with local schools and industries,” explained Dr. Chris Whaley, president of Roane State. “The program offers a stackable credential model, starting with high school engagement through activities such as STEM days, nuclear labs, and career preparation. The goal is to expand our workforce pipeline, especially in the nuclear sector, which is critical to industries like healthcare, aerospace, and defense.”
The curriculum, designed in collaboration with regional employers, includes new courses in nuclear science and radiation detection, featuring real-world, project-based teaching (PBT), education, and workforce training within a simulated nuclear operations environment.
The Nuclear Technology Program is already underway this semester at Roane State, serving both entry-level students and current workers seeking to reskill or upskill their credentials in nuclear technology. The grant award aligns with Tennessee’s broader efforts to lead in clean energy and nuclear workforce development.
In announcing the new round of GIVE Grants, Gov. Lee said, “The state with the workers will win every time, and that’s why workforce development has been one of my top priorities since day one. As a result, companies are choosing to invest and expand in our state, creating greater opportunity and quality of life for all Tennesseans.”
Tennessee Board of Regents Chancellor Flora W. Tydings commended the colleges for initiating the partnerships and applying for and winning the grants to benefit career and technical education in their communities.
“The programs and projects funded by this latest round of GIVE Grants will create many new opportunities for Tennesseans to learn career-building skills to compete and advance in today’s technology-based economy, benefitting their families across generations and building strong communities,” Dr. Tydings said.
“Our community and technical colleges are the front-line providers of academic, career, and technical education,” Dr. Tydings added. “We’re grateful to Governor Lee and the General Assembly for recognizing the need to bridge the skills gap and establishing the GIVE program to help close it.”
For more information on Roane State’s Nuclear Technology Program (NTP), visit roanestate.edu/nuclear.
More information on the GIVE initiative is here, and the Governor’s media release with the full list of recipients awarded is here.
