Workforce & Education
Build a Team of Excellence in Blount County.
When it comes to building a strong business, the quality of your workforce is foundational. Whether you are in the manufacturing business or a highly technical field, your employees drive your success. Blount County’s workforce and education give businesses a competitive advantage with our current pool of skilled and ready workers and the pipeline of workers we continue to produce through our excellence educational system.
3.4%
Unemployment Rate
6
Regional Higher Education Institutions
62,225+
Labor Force
95%
High School Graduation Rate
Finding and Training Qualified Workers
In Blount County, you will find a ready workforce and a steady pipeline of workers as your business grows. The Economic Development Board of Blount County has a dedicated board and staff to build industry and educational institution-led partnerships.
Building a Talent Pipeline
We invest in our youth. Blount County has three of the state’s top public school systems. Maryville City Schools has an average composite score of 23.4. Alcoa City Schools composite is 22.2. Blount County Schools composite average is 21.1. All are well above state and national averages.
Training Today’s Students For Tomorrow’s Workforce
The area boasts the state’s land grant school in the University of Tennessee as well as Maryville College which is a nationally ranked liberal arts institution. Additionally, workforce training sites like the Tennessee College of Applied Technology Knoxville and the upcoming Ruth and Steve West Workforce Development Center on the Pellissippi State Blount County campus offer programs that are responsive to local business and industry needs.
Ruth & Steve West Workforce Development Center
The $16.5 million workforce development center is located on Pellissippi State’s Blount County Campus, but also includes space for TCAT Knoxville and a Corporate Training Center for business and industry partners. The 51,000-square-foot workforce development center was designed to help fill the area’s need for highly skilled, college-educated employees
Furthering the Workforce in Higher Education
East Tennessee is rich with opportunities for students to attend college in the area. In addition to those listed above, these institutions are all within a two-hour drive from Blount County and offer a wide variety of degree programs.