Season 2 of the TENNTalks podcast dives deeper into the opportunities shaping Tennessee’s future. Each episode features real voices from across the state making an impact. Browse all episodes below, with new ones added as they release.

All Episodes:

▶ Season 2 Episode 1: Listen on Spotify and Apple, watch on YouTube

▶ Season 2 Episode 2: Listen on Spotify and Apple, watch on YouTube

▶ Season 2 Episode 3: Listen on Spotify and Apple, watch on YouTube

▶ Season 2 Episode 4: Listen on Spotify and Apple, watch on YouTube

▶ Season 2 Episode 5: Listen on Spotify and Apple, watch on YouTube

▶Season 2 Episode 6: Listen on Spotify and Apple, watch on YouTube

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EP. 6: Grounding: Your career with trades

Tennessee’s Technical Revival
 
Tennessee is quietly becoming an incubator for skilled technical talent, placing the state’s future in the hands of a resilient new workforce. Across the region, entering the mechanical trades is no longer just about basic manual labor. It has evolved into a dynamic, highly adaptable career path that serves as the backbone for community development.

▶ Watch Season 2 Episode 6 Here

Stories from the Shop Floor

Building a career in HVAC and mechanical systems takes real drive. The latest podcast episode highlights trade leaders who show that succeeding in this field means constantly adapting and stepping out of your comfort zone.

• Pivoting to Find Your Purpose: David Collins, now lead HVAC instructor at TCAT Dickson, initially left trade school to work in construction. Realizing general carpentry wasn’t his long-term path, he returned to the classroom, built on his past training, and eventually grew his department into a top hiring pipeline.
• Skills No One Can Take Away: Governor Bill Lee highlights that completing a trade program provides a tangible, permanent skill set. Navigating heavy seasons—from electrical theory to intense shop labs—builds the exact grit needed for long-term stability.

Reworking the Training Pipeline

Keeping up with demand requires flexible support systems. Tennessee’s technical colleges are shifting how trade education works to help students hit the ground running.

Through local co-op programs, students earn a paycheck as paid technicians halfway through their training while completing their diploma. Combined with Tennessee’s 5-year credit transfer policy, students can easily pause or resume their education around life events without losing progress.

Tools of the Modern Trade

Today’s mechanical career relies on a smart balance of physical work, science, and digital tools:

• Applied Science: Technicians routinely apply thermodynamic cycles and chemistry to safely handle regulated refrigerants and solve airflow issues.
• Digital Diagnostics: Modern systems run on microprocessors and inverter drives, requiring technicians to use electrical multimeters, Bluetooth sensors, and digital readouts.
• Earn While You Learn: Co-op partnerships bridge the gap between classroom theory and field experience, ensuring zero lag time before full-time work.

Your Path Starts Here

If you like solving practical problems, the trades offer an immediate, debt-free path to a strong career. By starting at local institutions like TCAT Dickson, you can earn stackable credentials and build a high-demand future that keeps your community running.

EP. 5: The Growth Mindset: Modern Teaching cAREERS

Driving Education Forward in the Volunteer State
 
Tennessee is quietly transforming into an incubator for fresh academic talent, putting the future of local schools directly into the hands of a resilient new generation of instructors. Across the region, the pathway into the classroom is undergoing a major shift. Stepping up to lead a room of students is no longer just a traditional career path; it has evolved into a dynamic, highly adaptable trade that serves as the foundation for community growth.

▶ Watch Season 2 Episode 5 Here

Firsthand Lessons from the Front Lines

Beyond the standard routine of daily lesson sheets and report cards, building a life in education requires serious personal resolve. The latest podcast conversation features distinct individuals who demonstrate that breaking into this challenging ecosystem demands a willingness to stretch your capabilities.

Finding your footing in this field often means learning when to change direction. Devonte Bard, who now teaches algebra at his alma mater, originally set his sights on orthopedic surgery. However, a grueling 8 a.m. college microbiology lecture quickly convinced him that pre-med wasn’t his true calling. Recognizing his natural affinity for numbers and youth mentorship, he sought advice from a former teacher—a pivot that eventually brought him right back to the high school corridors where he started.

For those just getting started, maintaining your long-term vision is absolutely essential. Guest Carlee Merson emphasizes that the training pipeline frequently pushes candidates far outside their comfort zones. Completing her degree entirely online meant learning how to self-study and digest complex material completely independently. Pushing through those heavy seasons—whether surviving demanding math sequences or juggling employment with finals—is the exact kind of grit required to make it to graduation.

Elevating Support Systems for Aspiring Educators

Sustaining this influx of classroom talent requires robust structural design and community backing across every district. To recruit fresh perspectives, pioneering employment initiatives are turning traditional teacher training on its head.

The state’s “Grow Your Own” residency model is proving to be an absolute game-changer for finishing a degree. Rather than completing months of unpaid student teaching, candidates are hired directly into schools as paid instructional assistants. This setup allows them to earn a living wage and gather real classroom hours simultaneously, all while backed by a tight-knit network of encouraging principals, counselors, and fellow staff members

Next-Gen Strategies in the Modern Classroom

A defining theme among the educators is that today’s school environment thrives on a delicate balance of human empathy and practical classroom strategy.

• Targeted Academic Interventions: Modern educators frequently utilize structured support systems like Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and Response to Intervention (RTI) frameworks. Working within small groups allows instructors to focus closely on struggling students, stripping away academic jargon to explain core concepts in accessible ways.
• The Power of Radical Empathy: Technical teaching mechanics can be studied in a textbook, but authentic compassion cannot be manufactured. Educators stress that managing a classroom means looking past surface-level behavior. When middle school students act out, successful instructors look at the bigger picture, recognizing that the frustration is rarely personal.
• The Virtual Classroom Shift: The profession has leaned heavily into digital fluency. Through dedicated educational technology coursework, rising teachers master online learning platforms and virtual asset management, ensuring they can seamlessly integrate interactive tools into everyday instruction.

Taking the First Step

The takeaway from these frontline perspectives is incredibly clear: if you have a passion for lifting up others, the education sector provides a rewarding pathway forward. Building this career often relies on early mentorship, and experienced educators advise high schoolers to begin building professional relationships with adults early on to unlock hidden opportunities. 

By taking advantage of regional tracks, future teachers can get their start at local institutions like Columbia State, maximize scholarships, and transfer smoothly into university partnerships to finish their credentials. Whether it’s watching a student’s face light up the moment a difficult math problem finally makes sense, or celebrating your own certification triumphs, the rewards of the job are unmatched.

EP. 4: Beyond Scrubs: Careers in Nursing

A Powerhouse for Frontline Care
 
Tennessee is quietly positioning itself as a major powerhouse for healthcare development, with the state’s economic future resting in the hands of dedicated frontline care professionals. From the mountain ridges of East Tennessee to the training labs of rural campuses, a quiet resurgence in the skilled medical trades is underway. Practical nursing is no longer just a job; it is a high-tech, high-stakes career track that forms the literal backbone of our healthcare system, proving that the path to financial independence and meaningful public service runs straight through dedicated, patient-centered care

▶ Watch Season 2 Episode 4 Here

Real Voices from the Field

This isn’t just a story about clinical assignments, dosage calculations, and stethoscopes; it’s a story about human drive. The latest episode of the podcast features distinct perspectives, each proving that the path into this challenging world requires a growth mindset, clear communication, and a willingness to step into vital public service.

The journey into the trade often starts with a willingness to pivot. Autumn Bentley, now a practical nursing instructor, knew early on that she possessed what she calls a “servant heart.” After a traditional four-year university pre-med route didn’t pan out, she returned home to complete a certified nursing assistant (CNA) course at her local community college in just three months. Today, after climbing the ranks from a nursing home CNA to an intensive care unit (ICU) nurse, she has come full circle to teach the very same 12-month Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) program that changed her life, calling the opportunity an absolute dream come true.

For those entering the field, keeping your eye on the prize is essential. Guest Kelsey Markle notes that the rigorous educational pipeline requires students to learn many foundational things outside their ultimate specialty. From mastering bedside nursing fundamentals and making hospital beds to rotating through diverse clinical fields, students must embrace every basic element of care. As host Jesse Turner reinforces, it’s an “end-game kind of thing,” which means it is a journey where you must maintain focus on the ultimate prize to reach your career destination.

Demand and Earning Potential Across Tennessee

The coordination behind this workforce growth requires massive structural support across every region of the state. The job market for nurses remains incredibly hot, spanning across all 95 counties to impact both major cities and rural areas alike.

To draw professionals into smaller regional areas, healthcare facilities in northeast Tennessee have aggressively ramped up their pay rates. While standard starting wages sit around $20 per hour, entering highly specialized settings can dramatically increase earning potential. For example, specialized paths like correctional nursing are seeing recent graduates command starting pay as high as $31 per hour. Beyond financial security, the career offers an expansive web of professional pathways, with graduates successfully transitioning into hospitals, clinics, doctor’s offices, home health, nursing homes, and hospice care.

Innovation in Today’s Healthcare Environment

A common thread among all the panel guests is that the modern nursing landscape relies on a sophisticated mix of traditional compassion and advanced field technology.

• The Evolution of Smart Lab Tools: Modern training relies heavily on high-fidelity simulators to mimic high-stakes scenarios. In the simulation lab, students navigate real-world situations, such as managing a post-op total knee replacement patient. These simulations create space for critical, non-fatal learning experiences, allowing students to make medication dosage errors, observe the consequences, administer reversal agents, and perform high-pressure interventions like CPR in a controlled environment before handling live patients.
• The Non-Negotiable Compassion Blueprint: While technical skills like hanging IV fluids, giving injections, and analyzing outputs can be taught in a classroom, instructors emphasize that authentic empathy cannot be engineered. Because healthcare encounters typically catch patients and their families at their lowest and most vulnerable moments, therapeutic communication is a survival tool for the job. Nurses are tasked with managing the holistic environment, which means caring for the emotional well-being of stressed family members just as rigorously as they monitor a sedated ICU patient.
• The Digital Shift: The trade has evolved rapidly from the era of manual paperwork. Today’s modern grid of patient care is entirely digital, placing immense amounts of diagnostic data directly at a nurse’s fingertips. Advanced facilities are even deploying AI-assisted virtual nurses. Using specialized in-room cameras, these AI systems can instantly zoom in on a medication syringe to provide the legally required second-nurse verification, streamlining workflows and saving critical minutes on the floor.

Launching Your Educational Journey

The message from the panel is unmistakable: if you have a mind that connects well with your hands and a desire to perform work your entire community depends on, the practical nursing sector offers an immediate, lifelong doorway to advancement.

The educational pipeline is expanding early to meet demand. Groundbreaking dual-enrollment initiatives, like the Bella Health Academy regional partnership, now allow high school seniors to enroll as pre-practical nursing students, allowing them to complete introductory coursework and their very first clinical rotations before they even cross the graduation stage. Furthermore, an LPN license serves as a highly transferable foundation.

Through regional articulation agreements, graduates can easily transition into 12-month community college bridge programs to earn their Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), move on to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), or continue upward to Master’s and Doctoral levels to become Nurse Practitioners, Psychiatric Specialists, or Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs). Your career can be as massive as your drive, and it all begins with the choice to care.

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EP. 3: Storm Chasers and Signal Makers: Careers in Electricity

Tennessee is quietly positioning itself as a major powerhouse for infrastructure development, with the state’s economic future hanging from utility crossarms forty feet in the air. From the mountain ridges of Unicoi County to the training yards of Oneida, a quiet resurgence in the skilled trades is underway. Linemancy is no longer just a job—it is a high-tech, high-stakes career track that forms the literal backbone of our communities, proving that the path to financial independence and meaningful public service runs straight up a utility pole.

▶ Watch Season 2 Episode 3 Here

Real People Keeping the Lights On

This isn’t just a story about substations, fiber lines, and high voltage; it’s a story about human drive. The latest episode of the TENNtalks podcast features four distinct perspectives, each proving that the path into this challenging world requires a growth mindset, clear communication, and a willingness to step into vital public service.

The journey into the trade often starts with a willingness to pivot. Braden Middleton, a graduate of Riverside High School, knew early on that a traditional four-year university route wasn’t for him. After completing a residential electrical and plumbing program at TCAT Henderson in just a year, he transitioned into working as a fiber optic lineman. Today, traveling state lines to repair storm damage and run new infrastructure, his journey is proof that structural foundations can serve as an incredible launching pad for reaching his ultimate goal: power line work.

For those dedicated to training the next generation, real-world longevity is the ultimate teaching tool. Darryl Evans draws on his 41 years of industry experience, including over three decades at the Clinton Utility Board, to lead the power line program at TCAT Oneida. Alongside him is Amber, a recent graduate completing her final apprentice year at the Knoxville Utility Board. As one of the few women in a heavily male-dominated trade, Amber highlights the necessity of staying presence-minded, proving that with extra determination, proper rigging techniques, and mutual respect, anyone can shift old perspectives and thrive in high-voltage environments.

For some, discovering the trade is an unexpected avenue toward breaking generational cycles. Dawson Gambrell grew up with very little in Unicoi County and didn’t even know who kept the lights on until his senior year of high school. Guided by the Ayers Foundation, he went on to earn an associate degree in electrical technology from Northeast State Community College, starting as temporary summer help flagging traffic before climbing the ranks to become a journeyman lineman at Irwin Utilities. His narrative underscores the power of local mentorship and persistent effort in building a solid future right in your hometown.

Empowering Local Communities

The coordination behind this workforce growth requires massive structural support across every region of the state. Brian Solsbee, Executive Director of the Tennessee Municipal Electric Power Association, advocates for 60 municipal utilities serving 2.5 million meters from Memphis to Bristol. He notes that the path toward becoming a journeyman is a rigorous four-to-five-year apprenticeship built on crew camaraderie and strict safety parameters.

This educational pipeline is anchored by state leadership. Governor Bill Lee frames the push for the skilled trades as a direct win for rural economic independence. Recalling a late-night encounter with local utility crews working in ten-degree weather to restore power to his own farm after an ice storm, Governor Lee emphasizes that because every single one of Tennessee’s 95 counties relies on this infrastructure, the trade allows young people to build high-earning lives without ever leaving their roots.

Inside the Modern Grid

A common thread among all the panel guests is that the modern utility landscape relies on a sophisticated mix of traditional labor and advanced field technology.

• The Evolution of Smart Grid Tools: Modern crews are heavily supported by distribution automation and SCADA systems. Instead of checking lines manually during an outage, automated digital mapping and smart meters instantly relay exact fault locations directly to a lineman’s phone, eliminating hours of dark fieldwork.
• The Non-Negotiable Safety Blueprint: With crews handling live lines operating at 7,200 volts, safety is entirely human-related. Modern linemen carry roughly $3,700 worth of sophisticated Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)—including specialized cinching belts, rubber hoses, sleeves, and insulating blankets—making compliance a matter of survival.
• The Six-Figure Reality: While starting apprentices typically enter the field earning in the mid-20s per hour, hitting journeyman status pushes base rates into the mid-30s and low 40s. When paired with rotating standby pay, per diems, and storm overtime, young tradespeople frequently see their W-2 forms reach $90,000 to $100,000 within their first few years.

Your Path to Power

The message from the TENNtalks panel is unmistakable: if you have a mind that connects well with your hands and a desire to perform work your entire community depends on, the utility sector offers an open door. By utilizing state resources like the Tennessee Promise to fund technical certificates debt-free, you can step into an essential role that keeps the heart of Tennessee beating.

As Dawson Gambrell reflects on his journey from a 13 on the ACT to a successful journeyman lineman: “I promise you, you’re smart enough to do this job… you just gotta keep working hard and stick at it.”

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EP. 2: Think for Yourself: Turning AI into Careers

The latest episode of the TENNtalks podcast reveals a startling truth: the next massive shift in global industry isn’t just happening in Silicon Valley, it’s being forged right here in Tennessee. From the tech labs of Memphis to the classrooms of Jackson and the rural communities of Scott County, a digital revolution is underway. Information Technology is no longer about sitting alone in a room fixing computers; it is a landscape of problem-solving, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence, promising to transform the Volunteer State into a premier hub for technical innovation.

▶ Watch Season 2 Episode 2 Here

The Voices Behind the Episode

This isn’t just a story about cables, cloud networks, and code; it’s a story about people. The episode features four distinct voices, each proving that the path into this high-tech world is wider, more flexible, and more accessible than many think, provided you possess a willingness to learn.

The journey into the IT sector can begin at any stage of life. John Byrum, a Master Instructor at TCAT Jackson, illustrates this perfectly. After trying general college courses, bartending, and working in logistics, he didn’t receive formal IT training until he was 32 years old. Today, with 26 years of teaching under his belt, his hands-on classroom is a testament to the idea that it is never too early, and never too late, to completely reinvent your career through technical grit.

For those looking to scale their careers into leadership, new academic pathways are tearing down old barriers. Dr. Russell Deaton, Executive Director of the Polytechnic at the University of Memphis, is building brand-new Bachelor of Applied Science degree pathways. His program acknowledges that education isn’t always linear; it grants college credit for TCAT diplomas, industry certifications, and years of on-the-job experience, ensuring non-traditional students don’t have to start from scratch to secure a seat at the management table.

The next generation isn’t waiting around for the future to happen, they are building it. Chase Hamby, a 2024 high school graduate from Scott County, spent a year at Roane State Community College before launching his own parent AI software company, CH Production. At just 19 years old, Chase partners with developers to build sophisticated, human-sounding AI systems that handle marketing and automated “speed-to-lead” phone calls for local blue-collar businesses like HVAC and plumbing companies.

Finally, the state’s vision is anchored by a unified educational pipeline. From K-12 dual enrollment programs to community colleges, TCATs, and four-year universities, state leadership is deliberately knitting these institutions together. This collaborative framework ensures that whether a student lives in a metropolitan center or rural West Tennessee, they have immediate access to distance learning and local satellite campuses to participate in the state’s economic boom.

The Statewide Pipeline

A common thread among all the speakers is that technology is no longer an isolated department, it is woven into every single occupation on campus and across the state.

The Power of AI & Machine Learning: Far from putting people out of jobs, AI is creating a demand for skilled technicians. Tech giants are establishing massive data centers in the region, which require a specialized workforce to deploy, network, and maintain the heavy infrastructure.

The Democratization of Coding: With the rise of advanced generative models, anyone can utilize tools to write code. However, the industry desperately needs human oversight. Techs must possess the critical thinking skills to read, translate, and check code to prevent long-term cybersecurity vulnerabilities.

Transferable Problem-Solving: The core of an IT career is learning how to learn. Whether diagnosing a point-of-sale system for a major retail headquarters like Kirkland’s, setting up fiber-optic broadband, or configuring cloud redundancy, the underlying ability to troubleshoot is universally valued by employers.

Conclusion

The message from the TENNtalks panel is clear: whether you are a high school student tinkering with a $100 Raspberry Pi, a career-changer looking for a second chance, or a working professional aiming for a promotion, Tennessee’s tech sector has a place for everyone. By maintaining a growth mindset, treating the brain like a muscle that strengthens with work, the doors to this high-paying, stable market are wide open.

As Dr. Russell Deaton wisely advises when facing a long or challenging career path, the best trick is simple: “Stick to it.”

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EP. 1: The Vision of Fission – Nuclear Careers in Tennessee

The latest episode of the TENNTalks podcast reveals a startling truth: the future of global energy is being forged right here in Tennessee. From the ridge-lines of Oak Ridge to the rural communities of East Tennessee, a “Nuclear Renaissance” is underway, promising to transform the state into a world leader in clean, independent power.

▶ Watch Season 2 Episode 1 Here

The Voices Behind the Episode

But this isn’t just a story about technology, it’s a story about people. The episode features five distinct voices, each proving that the path into this high-tech world is wider and more accessible than many think.

The journey into the nuclear sector often begins with a single moment of curiosity. Carol Roberts, a process engineering manager at Nuclear Fuel Services, illustrates this perfectly as she describes pivoting from a planned career in pharmacy to leading a team of engineers just five miles from her childhood home. Her story is a testament to the idea that you don’t have to leave your roots to change the world.

For those who take a more unconventional route, the military often serves as the ultimate classroom. Al Onley draws on his 26 years of experience operating reactors in the U.S. Navy to explain how technical grit and a strong work ethic can lead to a rewarding career as an operations director, even without a traditional engineering degree.

The infrastructure behind this growth requires a massive effort in education and coordination. Theresa Duncan of Roane State Community College highlights the critical role of Tennessee’s community colleges and TCATs, emphasizing that for every high-level scientist, the industry needs a small army of skilled technicians, welders, and electricians to build the future.

However, the industry needs more than just builders; it needs voices. Nikki Sizemore, who works in government relations for Kairos Power, proves that you can lead in the nuclear space through law and policy, sharing how she overcame severe dyslexia and a non-technical background to advocate for advanced reactor technology.

Finally, the vision is anchored by state leadership. Governor Bill Lee frames this movement as a “renaissance” for rural Tennessee, arguing that the state’s focus on vocational training and energy independence will ensure that the next generation of Tennesseans is prepared for the billions of dollars in investment coming to our region.

Breaking Down the Industry

A common thread among all the speakers is the emergence of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). These are not the massive cooling towers of the past; they are smaller, safer, and more efficient units that can be factory-built.

Baseload Power: Unlike wind or solar, nuclear provides “24/7” power, which is essential for the growing demands of AI and data centers.

Clean Energy: Nuclear power is carbon-free, making it a primary tool in protecting the environment while meeting massive electricity needs.

The Job Market: With a projected shortage of 350,000 skilled workers nationwide, Tennessee students are entering one of the most stable and high-paying job markets in history.

Conclusion

The message from the TENNtalks panel is clear: whether you are a student, a veteran, or a career-changer, the nuclear industry is no longer a closed door. By staying curious and utilizing state resources like the Tennessee Promise, you can find a place in the global epicenter of energy.

As Carol Roberts puts it, “Stay curious and don’t stop learning… it can change into something wonderful.”