tnAchieves prepares students for career readiness through workforce mentorship program
PRESS RELEASE FROM TNACHIEVES:
JACKSON, Tenn. — In its continued efforts to Build Tennessee’s Future Workforce, tnAchieves is now in its first year of expansion to its statewide volunteer mentoring program. For the first time, second-year college students are now working with mentors across the state to focus on workforce readiness.
tnAchieves serves more than 30,000 college students annually. Workforce Mentorship plays an important role in building the workforce of tomorrow and ensuring that all students have access to personal support on their path to college and career.
Workforce Mentorship is career-focused and industry-driven. Workforce Mentors have been paired with students based on their interests as they prepare to transfer to a four-year university or launch their careers. 76 percent are working with a mentor who has direct ties to their industry of choice in the student’s region, while 99 percent of students have a mentor from their intended industry overall. This mentorship is designed to provide students with a real-world perspective on their career of interest and the skills needed to succeed in the workforce.
“I have proudly served as a mentor with tnAchieves since its inception because I firmly believe education changes lives by opening doors to meaningful careers and long-term economic mobility,” said tnAchieves Mentor Beth Duffield. “I was excited to learn last fall that tnAchieves was expanding the mentor program to support community college graduates as they transition into the workforce or continue their education at a university. That next step— bridging education to career—is critical, and I am grateful to be part of an organization that recognizes the importance of walking alongside students not just to graduation but into their future.”
To best serve students and encourage them to think critically about their path to success following graduation, Workforce Mentors are working in a nearly 1:1 ratio with students. In its inaugural year, 1,088 people volunteered to become Workforce Mentors and 1,356 students opted-in to work with one of these mentors.
“tnAchieves has always relied on support from the community to open doors for students in their own hometowns,” said tnAchieves Vice President of Workforce Tyler Ford. “We are thrilled to leverage the career experience of our mentors across Tennessee. They are business leaders across their sectors and in their communities. We are deeply grateful they are willing to use this expertise to strengthen the pipeline from college to meaningful careers for students across the state.”
Throughout their time together, these mentors will provide students with resources and strategies for building resumes and strengthening interview skills, as well as career exposure and access to their own networks. Data shows this career exposure is critical for students. tnAchieves students who complete job shadowing of any kind are 24 percent more likely to graduate in three years. These graduates will go on to become the healthcare professionals, educators, business owners and other essential contributors to our state’s economy.
tnAchieves is a 501(c)3 nonprofit. Any interview requests or questions can be directed to Rebecca Franklin at Rebecca@tnAchieves.org or (865) 748-7767.
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