Since construction of the Blue Oval City Campus in 2021 was first announced, Tennesseans have been intrigued by what Ford, and the growth of advanced manufacturing across the region, might bring to West Tennessee. Local leaders sprung to action, eager to capitalize on what the plant could mean for advancing economic opportunity and strengthening workforce development.
The West Tennessee Pathway Network, established in 2022 and convened by SCORE, currently brings together four rural school districts to participate in regional alignment and cross-district collaboration in the service of getting more students into accelerated pathways in high-demand fields. Through strong collaboration and communication, Dyersburg City Schools, Haywood County Schools, Lauderdale County Schools, and Milan Special School District are working together to create stronger and more robust postsecondary pathways for all students in the region.
One of the leaders in this network is Madison Lewis, director of career and technical education (CTE) for Haywood County Schools, who shares a story of pride, commitment, innovation, and a genuine love for her community and students. Furthermore, it is the story of what a region has to gain when schools, local businesses, and higher education institutions align education with workforce opportunity.
Haywood High School was one of five schools in Michigan and Tennessee chosen as the recipient of a Ford Future Builders Lab. Sponsored by Ford, the labs are intended to provide K-12 classrooms with high-quality equipment — such as 3D printers, laser cutters, and coding technologies — that allows educators to engage learners in academic and hands-on learning that builds skills for 21st century careers. The labs represent a shift in instructional practice that not only builds local partnership but aims to ignite and inspire engineering and design skills for students who are interested in these future pathways.
Haywood High School strives to prepare students for any future environment they might find themselves in, championing new CTE programs such as advanced manufacturing, networking, marketing, and nursing. Students who enroll in these programs often graduate with industry credentials or certificates that allow them to join the labor market immediately upon graduation. These programs also allow students to graduate with up to 432 hours of coursework at a Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT), which equates to a full semester courseload at these colleges. At Haywood High School, 87% of students graduate with an industry credential, college credit, or documented workforce training experience.
Students at Haywood High come from rural and diverse backgrounds. Lewis believes CTE programming is a strategic way to reach all student groups, providing rural and minority students with access to the same high-skill, high-wage opportunities as their urban peers.
Ford Future Labs has done more than simply provide students with hands-on learning. It has cultivated unity and inspiration throughout the building. A shop student walks through the halls looking for materials thrown away to transform in the lab. A geometry teacher tasks her students with designing a staircase for the set of the school musical, “Frozen.” A school administrator navigates the 3D printer. Lewis describes the partnerships with TCAT and Ford as fuel for strong staff and student interests. School climate and pride are alive with the innovation and relationships between staff and students and between education and workforce.
Lewis believes strengthening education and labor pathways must be grounded in intention. Connecting student interest with workforce needs has the power to support an entire community. Furthermore, education and workforce alignment increases economic opportunities and changes generational trajectories. At Haywood High School, the door is always open to explore new ideas and bridge “old school” traditions with innovative skill building. The West Tennessee Pathways Network represents a bright spot in Tennessee, signaling the growth and success a community can have when intentionally aligning education with workforce pathways.