Approximately 4,600 area students from around the region took part in CareerQuest Tennessee 2024 events at the Ballad Health Athletic Center on the campus of East Tennessee State University.
Each student had the opportunity to learn about careers from the region's employers in advanced manufacturing, construction, health care, and IT.
The First Tennessee Development District coordinates the event with regional professionals in each sector who lead the design and recruitment of the participating employers for their respective sectors.
Since 2017, students have enjoyed this highly interactive event where they spend time with industry leaders, practitioners, HR professionals, and college and university professors. learning about careers they can enter right here in our region. Students had the chance to gain hands-on experience, talk about career paths, and learn what it is like to work for some of the region's employers.
The FTDD is excited that Ballad Health was again the platinum sponsor for the region’s premier career exploration event. Kenny Shafer, Johnson City Medical Center’s CEO shared the importance of the partnership with Career Quest. Other sponsors include TVA, DR Horton, UT CIS, AO Smith, WJHL & Daytime Tri-Cities.
CareerQuest Tennessee, students vote for their favorite sector. The winning sector is awarded the Best Sector Award. This year, the Health Care sector won this highly coveted trophy, which will spend the year traveling between the participating healthcare sector employers to display. “The Health Care sector is proud to win this trophy again this year,“ shared sector leader, Jo Munoz of Premise Health, “it would not have been possible without the support of our sector participants – Frontier Health, Ballad Health, Crothall, Northeast State Health Sciences, Morrisons, Milligan University, Washington County EMS, ETSU Health and Quillen College of Medicine, Johnson City Fire Department, and University of TN, Knoxville SWORPS”
More than 450 volunteers help make this event a success each year. 2024 was no different with volunteers from across the region. A highlight of CareerQuest is the VIP event with elected officials, community leaders, and sponsors who have the opportunity to experience the event just as students do. They also enjoyed a brunch catered by regional high school culinary students who partnered to provide delicious food.
To learn more about the event including several exciting volunteer opportunities in 2025, please visit www.careerquesttn.com.
For questions about this or other FTDD News, please contact Mark Stevans, mstevans@ftdd.org.