TCAT Upper Cumberland launching a new tile manufacturing operator program to address the specialized workforce needs of the growing ceramic tile industry across the state.
President Cliff Wightman said the initiative was developed in conjunction with state leadership and the Tennessee Board of Regents after industry groups identified a need for more specialized production personnel. Wightman said the program focuses on three major manufacturers within the local service area, including Portobello in Cookeville, Stonepeak Ceramics in Crossville, and AHF Products (formerly Crossville Tile.
“What’s happened in the tile industry is that the production side of it is not just your average production worker any longer,” Wightman said. “It involves a little bit more of a hands-on knowledge.”
Wightman said the 600-hour program takes approximately six months to complete and includes training in precision measurement and the operation of laser measuring machines. Wightman said students can earn nationally recognized industry credentials through the National Coalition of Certification Centers and the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council.
“The precision that’s in ceramic tile, even what is considered a second in ceramic tile, is by a lot of industry standards still a very precision piece for the squareness and parallelism and flatness,” Wightman said. “So that is one of the big areas in it is how to actually measure and or operate the machines that do the measuring.”
Wightman said the curriculum is designed to be half classroom theory and half hands-on training conducted on-site with industry partners. Wightman said the program also includes forklift and logistics training that can articulate into other industrial maintenance programs for students seeking continuing education.
“All the ceramic tile companies will take these students in on a basis to kind of let them see what it’s actually like and they’ll be training with the ceramic tile people, their personnel on site,” Wightman said. “It can take someone who has absolutely no experience at all and they can walk right in and start the program and be successful.”
Wightman said Tennessee is an ideal location for the industry due to the availability of ball clay in West Tennessee, mineral mines in East Tennessee, and the natural gas infrastructure required to fire kilns (can you add that availability of labor our interstate system and that Tennessee state government and local governments are great to work with to this part)? Wightman said TCAT Upper Cumberland expects to enroll approximately 40 students between its Cookeville and Crossville campuses.
“Obviously the utilities that’s available all through the state with natural gas that helps fire the kilns and (the surge of nuclear energy companies locating to Oak Ridge to one day lower energy cost, all make this a perfect state for the tile industry,” Wightman said. “Tennessee is an outstanding site for these companies to locate to.”
Wightman said the availability of specialized training programs serves as a significant factor for companies considering relocating to the Upper Cumberland region.
“Obviously it’s the same with any one of our students, making a good living wage, providing for themselves and their families and helping the industry partner at the same time because at the end of the day, that’s what makes it all work,” Wightman said.
Wightman said applications for the new program are currently open through the TCAT Upper Cumberland website.
