“My grandfather was a welder and a machinist,” says Keri Randolph, Ed.LD, executive director of Chattanooga 2.0. “He apprenticed at Ford in Detroit to learn the trade. When he came back to Tennessee, he secured a job that moved our family into the middle class.”
For Randolph, that story is more than personal; it’s also a blueprint for economic mobility. The apprenticeship model her grandfather followed decades ago continues to open doors today, not just in the trades, but across a wide range of industries. That belief is at the heart of Viable Pathways to Prosperity, a Chattanooga 2.0 initiative designed to help Hamilton County high school graduates move into quality careers.
Launched in 2023, Viable Pathways offers tracks in lineworking, welding, the dental field and data analysis. Thanks to a new $500,000 grant from The BlackRock Foundation, the program will now expand to include a Cybersecurity pathway and strengthen housing, child care and transportation assistance for students.
About 135 students will benefit from the expansion over the next two years, entering careers with starting salaries of $50,000 or more. Here, Randolph shares how this initiative is helping to rewrite the story of economic opportunity in Chattanooga.
How does the $500,000 grant from The BlackRock Foundation advance Chattanooga 2.0’s broader mission of improving economic mobility and educational attainment in Hamilton County?
“Economic mobility is at the heart of everything we do at Chattanooga 2.0. For us, that means creating a community of hope and opportunity – especially for our young people. We believe education is a key pillar of that vision. To access a fulfilling career and the life you want to live, you need the right educational background and experiences.
“Our work supports students from birth through career, and we measure our impact by whether individuals are connected to thriving-wage jobs. The BlackRock Foundation’s $500,000 investment allows us to expand that impact by serving more students and offering additional career pathways.
“This isn’t about tracking students or prescribing their futures. It’s about inspiring them, encouraging exploration and providing meaningful experiences that help students and their families connect with opportunities that are right for them.”
What long-term outcomes do you hope to achieve through the Viable Pathways to Prosperity initiative, especially with this new investment?
“With Viable Pathways, our primary measure of success – for both students and the community – is placement into a thriving-wage career pathway. It’s not just about completing training; it’s about securing meaningful employment that leads to long-term stability and growth.
“Looking ahead, our goal is to have at least 300 students enrolled in or graduated from a pathway by 2027, and to expand to 10 active career pathways in the community. We’ve set clear, tangible metrics, and we define a thriving wage in our region as $50,000 per year plus benefits. That’s the benchmark we’re aiming for as we support students in building sustainable, rewarding careers.”
Explain what a pathway is.
“When you ask people how they ended up in their current job, most will tell a winding story – maybe it was a mentor, a chance meeting, or someone who opened a door for them. But there’s often a lot of luck involved. If you don’t already have access or opportunity, that kind of chance just isn’t enough. That’s where pathways come in.
“We define a pathway as a clear, structured, and intentional route from education to employment. It shows students how to get from point A to point B to point C – with support at every step. Not every student will follow the same path, but our goal is to make the process transparent and accessible.
“Take our welding pathway as an example. We start by recruiting students and showing them the real opportunities available in our community, based on direct conversations with employers. Students learn what the job actually entails, then apply to a debt-free program that includes training, wraparound support and a guaranteed interview.
“The training is aligned with employer needs – both technical skills and job readiness. Most students receive multiple interviews, and we continue to support them through hiring and their first years on the job. So, a pathway is a guided journey to a thriving career, with support all along the way.”
What role does employer feedback play in shaping or revising program curricula?
“As an intermediary, we don’t deliver the training directly, but we play a key role in organizing and supporting it. Each pathway has a dedicated partnership table that includes employers and other stakeholders, and we meet regularly to gather feedback and make adjustments.
“These meetings are essential to maintaining a continuous improvement feedback loop. We start by reviewing the data – what’s working, what’s not – and then ask questions like: How well are students prepared? Where are the gaps? What needs to be revised in the curriculum?
“Employer feedback is critical in this process. It helps ensure that each pathway remains intentional, aligned with workforce needs and relevant to the real-world demands of the job market. That ongoing dialogue is one of the key reasons our pathways are effective.”
How do you define success for a program like Viable Pathways?
“We define success by quantifying the economic impact of these pathways – both for the individual and for the community. That starts with looking at increased earnings for our participants, especially since we’re targeting students who are farthest from opportunity and access.
“But the impact goes beyond individual success. Workforce development and economic development are deeply connected. To attract and retain great employers, we need a skilled workforce ready to meet their needs. So, we evaluate success on multiple levels: improved outcomes for students, stronger talent pipelines for employers, and overall economic growth for Hamilton County and the city of Chattanooga.
“Ultimately, success means creating lasting opportunity – for individuals, businesses and the broader community.”
Why was cybersecurity selected as the newest track? What makes it an important addition at this time?
“When we selected the career pathways featured on our website, the process was very data-driven. We analyzed current job market data, identified workforce gaps in our region, and looked at long-term projections – asking where opportunity will be not just today, but 10 to 15 years from now. That’s especially important because we’re building these pathways down into K-12. We want to address immediate workforce needs while also ensuring those needs are sustainable over time.
“Cybersecurity stood out as a top priority. We consistently hear from employers across sectors – government, nonprofit and for-profit – that cybersecurity is a critical and growing need. The data supports that, and we see it mirrored in the challenges employers face daily in staying up to date and protecting against evolving threats.
“At the same time, we recognize that technology is rapidly changing, especially with the rise of AI. What cybersecurity means today could look very different six months from now. So we’re constantly re-evaluating and pressure-testing our choices to ensure we’re training students not just for today’s jobs, but preparing them to adapt and upskill for the jobs of the future.”
Can you speak to how the new partnerships with BuildWithin and the Chattanooga Technology Council came about and what each brings to the table?
“Across all of our pathways – whether in the trades or technology – we’ve found that professional organizations and, in some cases, labor unions play a critical role. They’re deeply involved in training and ongoing support, so having them at the table is essential.
“In the technology space, the Chattanooga Technology Council has been a key partner. They represent a wide range of local employers and serve as an important voice in identifying workforce needs and shaping relevant training opportunities.
“BuildWithin is a software platform that helps make apprenticeships accessible and practical for employers who might be new to the model. It provides the structure, technical instruction and support needed to make apprenticeships viable.”
How did you determine which wraparound services were most essential for student success?
“We specifically focus on students who are farthest from opportunity and access, and we ask, ‘What are the real barriers keeping them from getting to and through training and into a good job?’ What we found is that many of these students are already working low-wage jobs to support their families. Some live at home and help care for younger siblings. These are real pressures, and we didn’t want to ignore them or say, ‘That’s just the way it is.’
“That’s why we provide a small living stipend during training – to help offset the opportunity cost of stepping away from low-wage work to pursue a higher-wage career. We also help students access any benefits they qualify for under the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, and we work to close any remaining financial gaps to ensure they can stay in the program.
“Often, the barriers students face are relatively small but have a big impact – like a car breaking down and losing access to transportation. We stay closely connected with our students and trainees so we can step in and help address those challenges, making sure they have what they need to complete the pathway.”
Have you seen measurable differences in completion or placement rates when these support services are offered?
“Yes, we’ve seen measurable improvements when support services are in place. Our goal is an 80% completion rate across all training programs, and we’re getting close to that. For example, our Data Analysis pathway had a 100% completion rate, and our most recent Welding cohort achieved 80%.
“For job placement, we’re targeting 80%. While we’re not quite there yet, we continue working with students even after training ends – especially those who haven’t been placed immediately. That ongoing support helps us steadily increase our placement numbers. As of now, our overall placement rate is around 60%, which is quite strong when compared to similar programs. We’re proud of that progress and are committed to closing the gap further.”
How do you get it up to 80%?
“One of the challenges we’ve seen is that some students turn down job offers – not because the opportunities aren’t good but because they’re focused on immediate needs. When you’re just trying to make ends meet, it can be hard to see the long-term value of a position at a larger company that offers more growth potential.
“To reach our 80% placement goal, we need to strengthen our career counseling and financial literacy efforts. Students need support in understanding not just the starting salary, but the full picture – benefits, advancement opportunities and long-term stability.
“At the same time, we’re working more closely with employers to help them understand the value of hiring students from these pathways. These students aren’t just trained – they’ve received wraparound support that prepares them to succeed and grow within an organization. Helping both sides see that value is key to closing the gap.”
Have you had any apprentices who were the first in their family to pursue some kind of post-secondary training or career?
“Yes, many of our students are first-generation – both in terms of pursuing post-secondary training and entering high-wage careers. We’ve had students who grew up in public housing who are now earning $60,000 a year at just 19 or 20 years old. That kind of outcome is truly transformative.”
Do these students have any unique needs? If so, how do you address them?
“Yes, many of our students have unique needs, and we’ve designed our support system to meet them where they are. We have a dedicated Pathways adviser – and we’re about to bring on a second – who plays a relationship-driven role, supporting students and their families throughout the entire process.
“This adviser helps students understand the opportunity in front of them and walks alongside them every step of the way. The support could range from helping them obtain a driver’s license, if that’s required for their training or job, to connecting them with other essential resources.
“It all starts with building trust and truly understanding each student’s situation. From there, we work to identify and fill any gaps – whether logistical, financial or emotional – so students have what they need to complete the program and succeed beyond it.”
With both public and private investments backing this initiative, how do you approach sustainability once grant funding ends?
“We do receive some public funding – both city and county dollars – particularly on the apprenticeship side. But sustainability is always top of mind, and we’re actively working to build a long-term funding model.
“One key piece is employer investment. We’ve created a strong proof of concept that shows this approach delivers high-quality employees who stay and succeed. As a result, we’re seeing increased buy-in from employers who recognize it as a smart investment in their talent pipeline.
“We’re also aligning federal and state workforce dollars with the initiative, and we’ve had promising success there. That said, we know private investment will continue to play a role. Our goal is to build a blended funding model – public, private and employer-driven – that allows us to serve more students while delivering strong outcomes for both individuals and the broader community.”
What steps are being taken to reach students who might not see themselves in tech fields like data analysis or cybersecurity?
“We really focus on creating opportunities for inspiration, exploration and time to decide – especially for students who might not initially see themselves in fields like data analysis or cybersecurity. And that’s not always easy.
“I was a high school science teacher for 10 years, after starting my career as a biochemist. From that experience, I saw firsthand how much students look to their teachers for guidance about what they’re good at and what they could become. But the reality is, most teachers haven’t worked outside of education, so they might not be familiar with the full range of career pathways or how students can access them.
“That’s why we’re working closely with the school system to support teachers in having those conversations. How do we help students answer the question, ‘What do I want to be when I grow up?’
“There’s a reason certain professions run in families – kids gravitate toward what they see and understand. So, our goal is to broaden their exposure, give them meaningful opportunities to explore and help them imagine themselves in roles they might not have considered otherwise.”
What has been the most inspiring story you’ve heard from a program graduate?
“One of the most inspiring stories we’ve heard came from Cam Bell, a student who initially enrolled in our Electrical and Telecommunications Lineworkers pathway. Early on, it became clear that it wasn’t the right fit for him. That was a tough moment – starting something and not succeeding – but we saw potential and encouraged him to try the Welding pathway instead.
“Cam went through the program last summer and became our top welder. He’s now employed, earning a thriving wage and has become a mentor to other welding students. He even helped recruit a few friends he thought would be a good fit for the program.
“He’s one of the first in his family to achieve this kind of success, and you can see the transformation – not just in his career, but in how he sees himself. He’s become a leader. He joins us at recruiting events, and he shared about his experience at our recent signing day, just a year after completing his training.
“What’s powerful is he doesn’t pull any punches. He tells students, ‘The training is hard, but stick with it – it’s worth it.’ He can say things we can’t, and the students listen. What started as a setback turned into something extraordinary, and I truly believe the sky’s the limit for him.”