Workforce & Leadership Development

This strategic plan focuses on improving the alignment of academic instruction, workforce skills, and access to hands-on learning. In 2008, Don Rogers approached the HC*EXCELL Board of Directors and Hamblen County School System with a vision of strengthening Hamblen County’s future workforce through expanding Junior Achievement (JA) programming in the Hamblen County elementary schools. JA Worldwide® is the world’s largest non-profit educational organization dedicated to teaching young people about business, economics, and free enterprise. At the time only 3 to 4 Hamblen County elementary classes were participating in Junior Achievement. Since then, the program has expanded to all Hamblen County elementary schools with over 800 student participants.