Planting Seeds of Opportunity: Tennessee College of Applied Technology Northwest 

The Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology are creating more than just training and jobs for trade workers in the Volunteer State.  

They’re creating opportunity and community, concepts that align perfectly with LRE’s mission. 

“Jobs like industrial maintenance, welding, and practical nursing, are so necessary in our lives,” according to Dr. Youlanda Jones, President of TCAT Northwest. “Our role is to provide training for high demand careers. This creates opportunities that can translate to bright students staying in Northwest Tennessee and help our communities grow and thrive.” 

There are 24 Tennessee Applied Technology Colleges (TCATs) across the Volunteer State. The colleges provide training and certification for workers to obtain technical skills that ultimately lead to good jobs and stronger, more vital communities. The schools offer a wide range of programs as diverse as Dental Assisting Technology, Barbering, CDL certification, HVACR, and Electrical Vehicle Production. TCAT NW currently has 1,700 dual students studying in both high school and at TCAT, as well as 750 adult students. All students completing a course of study or certification are assured of job placement. 

As President of TCAT Northwest, Dr. Jones oversees the Newbern, Ripley, Covington, Bells, Union City and Lake County campuses near LRE’s Ridgely Solar facility. In 2024, LRE partnered with those schools, providing a donation that created a scholarship fund available to any student. “That donation,” Dr. Jones noted. “Is planting seeds in our community.” 

Lake County Mayor Danny Cook recognizes the need for training to keep workers in the community. “Our county is traditionally economically distressed,” he said. ”A lot of our kids graduate high school and leave because there aren’t jobs. But learning a trade skill means you have the opportunity to work locally. We need to keep these bright kids here in the county, and we’re grateful to LRE for helping  us achieve that.” 

LRE’s partnering with TCAT is through the LRE Foundation which focuses on fostering positive community impact across our national platform of renewable energy facilities. In 2024 the LRE Foundation held its first golf tournament  which raised over $400,000 to support the Foundation’s giving goals.  

“As part of our community support efforts we’d reached out to Lake County leaders where our Ridgley Solar project is located to discuss community needs and they mentioned TCAT,” said LRE Public Affairs Manager Amanda Koonjebeharry.  “When the Foundation golf tournament turned out to be such a success we remembered those discussions and  reached out to TCAT. It aligned perfectly with the Foundation’s pillar of supporting education.” 

The available scholarship funds are perfectly aligned with TCAT’s goals as well.  

 “The funds LRE donated are planting seeds, and our communities need that,” said Dr. Jones. “LRE has done a great thing,” she added. “Those scholarship funds are changing lives.” 

About LRE

LRE (Leeward Renewable Energy) is a high-growth renewable energy company forging a sustainable future through integrity, innovation, and positive impact. We own and operate 31 large wind, solar, and energy storage projects across the United States, totaling over 4 gigawatts (GW) of generating capacity.  

LRE has an ambitious goal of 10GW of operating assets by 2028 and is developing and contracting an increasing pipeline of new projects every year. We take a full-lifecycle approach to our projects, built on a long-term ownership model and a company culture dedicated to our community partners and protecting the environment. LRE is a portfolio company of OMERS Infrastructure, an investment arm of OMERS, one of the largest defined pension plans in Canada, with C$128.6 billion in net assets (as of Dec 31, 2023). For more information, visit www.lreus.com.