Nashville Chamber hosts first Talent Solutions Forum to explore workforce issues

This new quarterly series is designed to inform and inspire employer participation in talent pipeline solutions.

In March of 2019, the Chamber’s Talent Development team hosted the first Talent Solutions Forum, sponsored by Bank of America. Each Talent Solutions Forum will center around relevant research and solutions with calls to action for employers to engage with the education, community and government agencies and other employers to identify and build regional and employer-based talent supply solutions.

The first forum on March 5 focused on postsecondary completion, starting with a presentation on the Bridge to Completion report by Bob Obrohta of the Tennessee College Access and Success Network (TCASN). A joint effort between TCASN and the Nashville Public Education Foundation, the report utilizes various data sources to better understand the postsecondary completion rates of graduates of Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS). Some key findings from the report:

  • Only 1 in 4 MNPS high school graduates (24%) from the class of 2011 earned a degree within 6 years.
  • An estimated 24% of students who are college-intending do not enroll.
  • The lack of persistence in postsecondary programs is largely due to financial challenges and other obstacles, unrelated to academics, such as transportation, childcare, and cost of textbooks and supplies.
  • 1 out of every 4 MNPS college-goers attends Nashville State Community College. More students go to Nashville State than MTSU and TSU combined.
  • When compared to peer cities like Austin, Louisville and Atlanta, Nashville’s college-going rate places it in the middle of the pack.
  • Communities with higher college enrollment rates than Nashville had significant differences including community-wide coordination, investment and funding, policies affecting undocumented students, and district prioritization of college access and success.

The presentation was followed by a panel facilitated by Joey Hatch, Executive Vice President, Skanska (Retired) and Tennessee Board of Regents, and featuring Mark Lentz, President of Tennessee College Applied Technology (TCAT) Nashville, Dr. Shanna Jackson, President of Nashville State Community College (NSCC), and Indira Dammu, Education Policy Advisor, Office of Mayor Briley. The panel touched on important changes happening in the postsecondary space in response to the Bridge to Completion report, including the creation of Nashville GRAD, a partnership between the Mayor’s Office, NSCC, TCAT Nashville, and regional employers. The program provides case management and financial support to students for costs outside of tuition.

Both Dr. Jackson and Mark Lentz spoke of their respective challenges and opportunities for employers to align their credential and skills needs with NSCC and TCAT Nashville. With more MNPS students going to NSCC than any other postsecondary institution, Dr. Jackson stressed the importance of NSCC being “student-ready” and having the supports in place to meet students where they are. TCAT Nashville has one of the highest completion and job placement rates of any postsecondary institution due to their responsiveness to employer needs but very few MNPS graduates are taking advantage of their programs.

All registration funds from Tuesday’s Talent Solutions Forum will go to Nashville GRAD. 

Couldn’t make the Forum but want to contribute? Contact Indira Dammu. 

Want to learn more about the Bridges to Completion Report? See the report or reach out to Bob Obrohta. 

For more information on the Talent Solutions Forum, contact Scott Meltzer.

Connect With the Chamber