The Multistate Career Readiness TPM Academy

The Career Readiness TPM Academy® is a training developed by the U.S. Chamber Foundation that seeks to enhance partnerships between community colleges and sub-baccalaureate programs, employers, and community-based organizations to improve completion, credential attainment, employment, and career advancement, particularly for people of color.

The Multistate Career Readiness Academy is a partnership between three states (Arkansas, Florida and Illinois) and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. Each state initiative is led by a co-hosting organization that will serve as the liaison for all potential cohort members from their respective states. The Academy co-hosts are as follows: 

• Arkansas Community Colleges: a nonprofit association representing all comprehensive community and technical colleges in Arkansas to maximize resources and efforts that serve Arkansas students, communities, and business/industry. POC: Kyla Waters, kwaters@arkansascc.org. 
  
• Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce: the membership organization for Florida’s capital region where businesses succeed and the community prospers. POC: Corrie Melton, cmelton@talchamber.com.
• The Illinois Department of Commerce and Industry: supports and maintains a climate that enables a strong economy for our customers by keeping, attracting, and growing businesses, maintaining a skilled workforce, and enhancing communities so that the climate here is one in which businesses, small and large, and worker, can succeed to the greatest extent possible. POC: Kim Kuchenbrod, kmkuch1@ilstu.edu. 

Individuals from colleges, employers, chambers of commerce, workplace professionals, and community-based organizations in these aforementioned three states, should apply if their organization is looking to use talent pipeline development strategies in meaningful ways during and after the TPM Academy program.  We recognize that attending the Academy alone will not result in change for your community—it will require your commitment to identifying, developing, and integrating tactics throughout your approach. Applicants from other regions may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

All participants in the TPM Academy are required to commit to attend the training sessions between December 2022 and May 2023. Each training will consist of lecture, small group discussions and a capstone project. Participants also have the option to receive hands-on training for the TPM Webtool. Upon graduating the TPM Academy you will become part of the National Learning Network, a collaborative group that will support your efforts beyond your TPM Academy experience.