Trade & Workforce Impact
A Chattanooga Community PAC can double as a Trades & Workforce Hub, turning classrooms into hands-on labs. It can connect students and career-changers to stable, middle-skill jobs, and advance the One Chattanooga Plan’s goals for equitable economic growth in the performing arts, film, AV, and live-event industries.
HIGH-DEMAND SKILLS: With 8% projected growth in AV technician jobs by 2032 and a national shortage of skilled workers, PAC-based training can prepare talent for high-demand careers in live entertainment, construction, AV, film/TV, and digital media.
ECONOMIC IMPACT: Embedding workforce development in a civic PAC reduces out-migration, meets employer demand for skilled labor, and can position Chattanooga as a regional hub for event production and entertainment technology jobs.
LOCAL ALIGNMENT: The can PAC build on Chattanooga’s existing workforce infrastructure—Future Ready Pathways, Construction Career Center, and Chattanooga State/TCAT technical programs—to strengthen local career pipelines.
LIVING LAB MODEL: Scenic and costume shops, rigging bays, and AV control rooms will serve as real-world training environments in carpentry, welding, sewing, rigging, and automation—providing continuous learning and practice.
CREDENTIALS & PATHWAYS: PAC facilities can host the Entertainment Technician Certification Program (ETCP) in rigging, electrics, and power distribution, offering internships and paid rotations that lead directly to credentialed employment.
EQUITY & ACCESS: PAC-based training can expand career access for underrepresented youth and adults, linking participants to stable, well-paying, portable jobs proven to increase lifetime earnings and economic mobility.
REGIONAL DIFFERENTIATOR: No other facility in the region combines performing arts infrastructure with certified technical training. Chattanooga can stand out as a regional workforce hub, feeding talent into performing arts, film, AV, and live-event industries.