Mar 25, 2025
Recently, representatives from across TVA gave their time to make the inaugural UTC University High Day a success by providing students with a glimpse of TVA careers, and possibly their own future.
What is UTC University High?
University High is a collaboration between the University of Tennessee – Chattanooga (UTC) and Hamilton County Schools that gives high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to complete required high school courses while simultaneously earning college credits.
What was University High Day
TVA has had a long-term powerful partnership with UTC, and engaging University High students is another way we foster and support that relationship, while reaching students earlier.
Sr. Program Manager of Workforce Strategy and Development Brittany Hanks worked with University High Principal Arielle Hayes for six months to plan the event, which brought students to TVA’s Chattanooga Office Complex on March 10.
“Brittany worked tirelessly to ensure University High Day was an engaging and informative experience for the students,” said Director of Workforce Strategy and Development Jamie Choate. “The event was a perfect illustration of TVA’s approach to workforce development – collaborative and aligned.”
Teams throughout the agency do an incredible job engaging with local communities, partnering with educational and workforce partners, and participating in career outreach opportunities across the Valley region to reach future generations of TVA talent. The Workforce Strategy and Development (WS&D) dashboard tracks those efforts to ensure alignment and gives the WS&D team the ability to compare data from the Labor Forecast Center to workforce development efforts throughout the Valley region and identify gaps.
A special thanks for those who made the event a success
To say the event was successful would be an understatement (check out the quotes from students to verify), and the success can be directly attributed to the amazing TVA team members who brought their passion and excitement to the event:
- Event sponsors: Will Trumm and Jamie Choate
- Event organizer: Brittany Hanks
- Speakers: Althea Jones, Ashley Leitner, Tim Land, Ben Palmer, Robert Powell, Jon Mollish
- Exhibiting teams: UAS Services, Spot the Dog, TVA Police, Energy Generating Bikes, Communications, Talent, Cybersecurity, Generation, ESS, Grid, Nuclear, TechX and 3D Printing, Dam Safety, ERTC, FSV, Civil Projects, Fisheries
- And those who participated as student escorts, Safety support and ensuring the students had lunch.
Students also had the opportunity to explore the Be Pro Be Proud mobile classroom, which TVA proudly sponsors. The classroom gives students across the state of Tennessee the opportunity to test skilled trades like welding, linework and operating heavy machinery.
Overheard at University High Day
Here are a few quotes from some of the students who attended the event:
- “I didn’t know that TVA helped so many people across so many different things!” – Jonathan (Junior)
- “One detail I really loved about the experience was how interactive it was. I enjoyed talking to people from different areas in TVA and discovered that TVA has a lot more to offer than what I initially thought!” – Berenice (Junior)
- “Seeing and interacting with the police vehicle really inspired me to consider becoming a police officer.” – Alana (Junior)
- “I enjoyed talking to the guy with the fish – he was so passionate and inspiring! I also loved listening to the medics and fire brigade, especially doing the mouth-to-mouth chest pushing on the dummy.” – Carlicia (Junior)
- “I really enjoyed being able to interact with so many different team members with such a wide variety of experiences!” – Yoni (Junior)
- “The VR bus was so fun! It was so realistic, and driving something like the tractor trailer was very fun to do.” – Glenn (Senior)
- “TVA takes care of a lot more than others think! They have everything from medics to construction areas and workers. It is easy to find a job you’re interested in here with any career, and you get to take care of all of Tennessee, not just Chattanooga!” – Maggie (Junior)
- “I had so much fun in the simulator truck! It pushed me to see what I really want to do in the future.” – Catherine (Junior)