With a growing population and thousands of jobs available in Rutherford County, Tennessee, preparing your child for higher education and the workforce will set them up for success. Here at Rutherford Works, our talent development efforts focus on bringing Rutherford County businesses and education partners together to help close the skills gaps and prepare the county’s students for future jobs.

Preparing our kids with the skills they need for college and careers starts early. If you’ve been looking for programs or resources to set your children up for long-term success, we can help. We partner with Rutherford County Schools, Murfreesboro City Schools and local business leaders to develop support systems and solutions that prepare your child with the soft and technical skills needed for their future success.

Here are some of the Rutherford Works programs that serve students throughout the county:

  • Career Pathway Fairs
  • High School Job Fair
  • Teacher Continuing Education Experiences
  • Work Ethic Distinction

Career Pathway Fairs

Every year in the fall, Rutherford County Career Pathway Fairs allow eighth-graders to preview the Career & Technical Education (CTE) programs available at their zoned high school. Students select four CTE pathways that align with their YouScience aptitude & interest results for these career fairs.

During the event, students rotate to classrooms where industry professionals, high school CTE teachers, and high school students from the pathway are present. Students talk with these professionals after hearing presentations about the classes, careers and college options. Your child not only gains knowledge about various career fields but also learns how participating in a pathway can be beneficial to college and career plans.

JumpStart Job Fair

The JumpStart Job Fair connects high school students with employers throughout Middle Tennessee. High school juniors looking for work-based learning opportunities or part-time work are invited, along with graduating seniors attending college in the fall or who are looking to start a career right after high school. Students can find paid internships, full-time and part-time positions and this student job fair.

Employers interested in hiring students for full-time or part-time positions, internships, or work-based learning opportunities are encouraged to recruit juniors for work-based learning opportunities and hire graduating seniors for full-time jobs. These programs provide your child with a chance to jumpstart their career at an early stage.

Teaching Programs

Another program we offer that benefits Rutherford County students is the Rutherford Works Teacher Externship Program. In partnership with Rutherford County Schools, this experience aims to help middle school teachers gain access to employers in the five high-demand, high-wage industry sectors in Rutherford County.

Administrators, teachers, and counselors participate in externships in STEM-related fields for two weeks during the summer. They make lesson plans based on what they’ve learned, develop a list of goals to implement at their schools, and better advise students on their educational and career goals after receiving real-world career insights.

Work Ethic Distinction

The Work Ethic Distinction (WED) is available to any graduating high school senior in Rutherford County. This credential is not tied to any particular class or club but is a checklist of requirements students can complete during their senior year. This especially helps students who missed earlier chances to gain early-post secondary opportunity credits or classes. Students who earn the WED walk across the graduation stage with green cords and a certification that businesses across the state recognize on their resumes. They can also skip to the front of the interview line for jobs where they meet minimum qualifications.

The WED addresses industry’s needs for employees with technical and employability/soft skills. By achieving this distinction, students prove that they are both college and career-ready.

Find the Career Path for you with Rutherford Works

Through an uncommon partnership with business and education, Rutherford works empowers and inspires the current and future workforce of Rutherford County to become highly skilled, highly employable citizens to achieve a better life.

Students enrolled in middle school, and high school are provided educational opportunities which will prepare them for high demand, high-wage jobs in construction, healthcare, information technology, manufacturing and supply chain management and more.

To learn more about these opportunities, contact our team today.