‘We Have About Two Jobs for Every Individual Actively Seeking Work’ in Nashville

Sieberg: Over the last few years, Nashville has experienced tremendous growth, with over 20,000 new jobs added in 2023. However, there remains a shortage of available qualified workers to fill many of these positions. Hello, I'm Daniel Sieberg and this is "Getting Connected," powered by Comcast Newsmakers. We're on location at the 2024 Skills Summit in Washington, D.C. With me is Stephanie Coleman. She's the Chief Talent Development Officer of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, which co-leads the Tennessee Business Leaders United SkillSPAN coalition. Stephanie, thank you so much for being here.

Coleman: Thanks for having me.

Sieberg: Now, when people think of Nashville, they might think of music and culture, but tell us about the unique challenges Nashville is facing with a lot of the growth and expansion that's happening there and even statewide.

Coleman: Absolutely. So one of the things that is not unique about Nashville is our talent shortage. So, just like the country, we're facing demographic challenges that create a situation where we have about two jobs for every individual actively seeking work. And a lot of those jobs are really in the healthcare space, also in the technology space. And some of them come in through that creative class that you mentioned. So we are known for music and entertainment and hospitality. So we also do have job openings in that creative class as well.

Sieberg: And tell me about the public-private partnerships that you're exploring in this space. Maybe how they're integrating some of the cutting-edge technologies we're hearing.

Coleman: Sure. Sure. So one of the public-private partnerships that the Nashville Chamber has led for over three decades is called Partnership -- currently Partnership 2030. And it's a partnership across the region, across 10 counties, where we work with the public sector, private sector. We work with nonprofits as well, really focused on three areas: job creation, talent and workforce development, as well as quality of place in life. And when you look at some of those specific skills that are needed for those open positions, digital skills top the list. Right now, over 90% of open jobs require some kind of digital skill. You also see emerging technologies like AI that are really creating a need for rapid changes to our training programs. And our colleges and universities and other organizations providing training are being responsive to those needs to make sure that we can meet those challenges now and into the future.

Sieberg: And you're working with students K-12 right through college and into the workforce.

Coleman: Yes. So, for many decades, we have worked even in the pre-K to 12 space, into postsecondary, working with adult learners and also directly with employers who are looking to fill their talent pipelines. And one of the things that we've benefited from recently is a $7 million, five-year grant from JPMorgan Chase where we have been able to focus on increasing high-wage, high-demand career pathways. We've been able to focus on seamless postsecondary transitions, work-based learning, and closing equity gaps. It's really based on a foundation within Nashville Public Schools called the Academies of Nashville that are in all of the zoned high schools wall-to-wall. It's career exposure and it's an opportunity for students to really understand what they need for their next step after high school.

Sieberg: And can you share with us a story of the impact you're making maybe with one of those students?

Coleman: Absolutely! I'd love to share the story of Justice Jackson. So Justice graduated from Pearl-Cohn High School in 2023. And when she was in high school, she was really interested in psychology. From a young age, she was kind of interested in the nuances of human behavior. And through the Academy of Health Science at Pearl-Cohn and through a partnership with HCA Healthcare, she was able to do a work-based learning program at Centennial TriStar Health. And through that program, she was able to really understand patient care from a direct experience standpoint. So, after that, she ended up getting a full-ride scholarship to Belmont University called the Bell Tower Scholarship and she's now majoring in psychology with an eventual hope to be a clinical psychologist, and then perhaps a professor someday. So her story is really an example of how a student in a classroom can be provided opportunities that shape their career trajectory for years to come.

Sieberg: Love that example of an individual success story. What does success look like for the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce going forward?

Coleman: So, for us, the success is really closing that gap. So we want to make sure that individuals have economic opportunity, that they have access to those high-wage, high-demand jobs that are out there and available right now. We also want to make sure that our businesses continue to thrive, that they can find the workforce that they need. And bringing those two together, where you have individual success and economic success as a community is really what we're striving for long term.

Sieberg: Fantastic. Stephanie Coleman of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, thank you so much for joining us.

Coleman: Thank you for having me.

Sieberg: And thanks to you as well for watching. For more conversations about digital equity and broadband expansion, visit gettingconnected.com. I'm Daniel Sieberg.