Gov. Bill Lee and the Tennessee Higher Education Commission have announced that Dyersburg State Community College (DSCC) has been awarded a $2M 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 it 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.
Dyersburg State Community College applied for a GIVE Grant to establish two new programs: Culinary Arts and eSports. The Culinary Arts is a new program that is pending approval by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission Colleges. The eSports certificate will consist of computer information technology courses to prepare students for work in the technology and gaming industries. These programs will have secondary school partnerships with Dyersburg High School, Dyer County High School, Henry County High School, Lake County High School, and Ripley High School, as well as the Northwest Tennessee Workforce Board.
“Dyersburg State is committed to meeting the needs of West Tennessee. New programs are typically very costly to start and sustain, so we are truly excited to receive these grant funds to launch Culinary Arts and eSports. These new programs mean new opportunities to serve our students and our communities,” said DSCC President Scott Cook.
DSCC will implement the Associate of Applied Science and Technical Certificate in Culinary Arts. The grant will enhance and expand the culinary programs at Dyer County High School and Lake County High School. DSCC will begin the Culinary Arts Program at the Dyersburg location.
In addition, Dyersburg State Community College will develop an eSports Certification that can lead to the Associate of Applied Science in Computers and Information Systems. As part of the grant, we will enhance and expand the eSports programs at each high school mentioned above. While developing and implementing these programs, dual enrollment classes in eSports will be offered at each of the high schools.
“DSCC seeks to help bridge gaps between industry, K-12, and community college needs in the Northwest area through the use of these funds. Based on local advisories, K-12 conversations, and the disaggregation of regional labor market data, it has been determined that gaps exist in eSports and culinary programs, and there is student interest in each. DSCC is excited about the new possibilities that can be offered in Northwest Tennessee,” stated Dr. Amy Johnson, Vice President of Academic Affairs and Student Success.
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,” said Gov. Lee. “As a result, companies are choosing to invest and expand in our state, creating greater opportunity and quality of life for all Tennesseans.”
Since creating GIVE, the state has invested $91.5 million into the program to support rural workforce development through technical education. The first and second rounds of GIVE funding in 2019 and 2021 served an estimated 15,500 students. Tennessee has made notable progress in rural workforce development, which has resulted in securing over 41,500 new jobs and nearly $19 billion in capital investment in rural counties since 2019.
Grants of up to $2 million each are awarded through the GIVE program to collaborative efforts that create or expand academic programs, develop work-based learning experiences, or provide industry-recognized certifications in areas of high demand. This initiative not only aims to meet the current needs of employers but also to stimulate economic growth by ensuring that Tennessee’s education system is aligned with workforce requirements.
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.
“Our community and technical colleges are the front-line providers of academic, career, and technical education. 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,” Dr. Tydings said.
For more information about the new programs, contact Dr. Amy Johnson, Vice President of Academic Affairs and Student Success, at ajohnson@dscc.edu or 731-286-3322.