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Franklin school leaders unveil Innovation Center campus and five CTE programs, including aviation and fire management
Summary
District staff and partners presented the new Entrepreneurship Innovation Campus set to open in August with five career and technical education programs (advanced machinery, aviation, cybersecurity/AI, hospitality/culinary, fire management), partnerships with Caterpillar and Tennessee College of Applied Technology, and plans to hire instructors in July.
Jeremy Quarles and Chris Snyder described plans to expand Franklin'area vocational education with a new Entrepreneurship Innovation Campus sited at the former animal control property behind the existing entrepreneurship center and Franklin High School.
"We decided to change that to the entrepreneurship innovation campus," Quarles said, and the presenters detailed five programs that will launch in August: advanced power and machinery, aviation, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence, hospitality/tourism/culinary, and a fire management program. They said the district received strong interest in enrollment: for example, 110 applicants competed for 40 seats in advanced machinery and the aviation program reported applications at or above planned capacity.
Presenters emphasized workforce connections: Caterpillar will partner for internships and training at its nearby tech center, and Tennessee College of Applied Technology will provide instructors for the machinery program. Lieut. Wilson described the fire-management pilot that ran this year; of 12 students in the initial cohort, several completed required testing and three were offered interim positions with the fire department.
Board members asked about job placement and postsecondary pathways. Quarles said each program includes "exit ramps" such as a technical certificate, embedded two-year college credit and a two-plus-two transfer pathway so graduates can choose immediate employment or further education. Members praised the partnership and recommended continuing engagement with local employers and community colleges.
Staff said hiring for instructional positions will begin in July and that the campus aims to serve students across the county and offer adult learning options in the evenings.
The board did not take a formal vote; staff asked aldermen to help spread the word to prospective students and industry partners.
