2017 Employer Survey

The Middle Tennessee Reconnect Employer Survey report outlines the barriers and best practices for encouraging Middle Tennessee adults to complete their educations through a college degree or high-level career credential.

The Middle Tennessee Reconnect Employer Survey, which is based on results from more than 8,000 employees from 12 large Middle Tennessee employers, provides the state’s first broad-based examination of patterns and issues present in the regional workforce relating to continuing with higher education. The Middle Tennessee Reconnect Community, an initiative of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, is a regional organization dedicated to supporting every adult in the area who aspires to earn a college degree.

These new findings come at a time when Gov. Bill Haslam has made access to continuing education a top priority. The survey’s key findings align with the thinking behind Haslam’s recently introduced Tennessee Reconnect Act, which would expand the Tennessee Promise scholarship model to allow adults to attend community college tuition-free. Tuition and fees were listed as a barrier by at least 81% of respondents.