Tennessee's Future Workforce Framework

In this special edition of At Scale, tnAchieves releases Tennessee’s Future Workforce Framework, a new strategy grounded in student voice and nearly two decades of experience supporting postsecondary access, persistence and workforce readiness.

Drawing from survey responses from nearly 6,000 students, the framework highlights key challenges facing Tennessee students today—from financial hardship and limited career exposure to gaps in workforce connections and emerging technology readiness.

Krissy DeAlejandro and Tyler Ford join Ben Sterling to discuss how tnAchieves is responding to those challenges through coaching, workforce mentorship, job shadowing and AI-informed career preparation—and why long-term success depends on stronger alignment across K–12, postsecondary institutions and business and industry.

The episode also explores the five commitments outlined in the framework and what it will take for Tennessee to move beyond access and completion metrics toward true economic mobility for students.

• Tennessee's Future Workforce Framework — For nearly two decades, tnAchieves has helped Tennessee students navigate the transition from high school into postsecondary education and, ultimately, into the workforce. We do this at scale, with systems built for real life: work schedules, family obligations, transportation barriers, financial uncertainty and the challenge of finding a clear path forward in an evolving economy. Today, Tennessee has a powerful opportunity to strengthen the transition from high school into postsecondary education and career by aligning around outcomes that truly change lives.