The University of Tennessee Center for Industrial Services (UT CIS) has been awarded a $1 million grant to implement the Tennessee Manufacturing Resiliency Initiative, a statewide effort to enhance the resiliency of manufacturers to mitigate and recover from pandemics, natural disasters, supplier problems, and other disruptions.

When Barjes Alotaibi retired from his second career as a Chief Pilot, he knew his contribution to the world was far from over. Alotaibi’s first career had been that of a mechanical engineer, and his next one would be as the founder of ARCS Aviation, a company developing ground-breaking eLearning modules, which specializes in training for the aviation industry.

The UT CIS Economic Development Team is surveying economic development leaders in Tennessee’s distressed and at-risk counties about the impacts that the pandemic has had on their economic development needs and goals. The goal is to connect communities to the extensive resources of the University of Tennessee’s statewide campuses and institutes to provide technical assistance to address needs and improve economic resiliency.

Professional Development for Economic and Community Development Practitioners

• The Tennessee Certified Economic Developer (TCED) Program offers comprehensive training in the principles and practices of economic development.
• Professional Certification in Economic Development.   Upon completion of the TCED Program and certification requirements, participants are awarded the Tennessee Certified Economic Developer (TCEcD) designation, indicating they have achieved core