About the TCAT

Mission

The Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology serve as the premier suppliers of workforce development throughout the State of Tennessee. The Colleges fulfill their mission by:

• Providing competency-based training through superior quality, traditional and distance learning instruction methods that qualify completers for employment and job advancement;
• Contributing to the economic and community development of the communities served by training and retraining employed workers;
• Ensuring that programs and services are economical and accessible to all residents of Tennessee; and
• Building relationships of trust with community, business, and industry leaders to supply highly skilled workers in areas of need.

Purpose and Objective

The objectives of the programs offered by the Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology are to:

• Give students the opportunity to acquire marketable skills for entry into the labor market, or upgrade present skills and knowledge of persons already employed.
• Incorporate appropriate work habits and attitudes into the occupational program.
• Meet the present and anticipated needs of the business and industrial community.
• Meet student needs by utilizing open-entry enrollment.
• Permit students to begin on an individual level. Pace and progress will be measured against the curriculum’s customary hours, and students will exit when specified competencies are met. Instructional methods are individualized and competency-based.