Residents in Nine Additional Counties Can Explore Training Opportunities, New Careers
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee Extension’s innovative workforce development initiative, Future Ready: Career Exploration Powered by Virtual Reality, is expanding into nine additional counties in 2025. This expansion builds upon the successful pilot program launched in August 2024, which has provided immersive career exploration opportunities to individuals across the state.
Funded through an agreement with the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Future Ready leverages virtual reality (VR) technology to help adults explore in-demand technical training opportunities. The program is part of Skill Up Tennessee, UT Extension’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Employment and Training Initiative. Participants use VR headsets to engage in hands-on simulations of various careers, such as medical procedures, solar panel installation and auto body repair.
“Empowering communities through innovation, Future Ready brings imagination to life with immersive experiences that inspire connection, pique interest and drive collective growth,” said Shelly Barnes, Extension specialist and assistant project director for Skill Up Tennessee. “By breaking down barriers, this initiative opens new pathways for possible future training and collaboration, creating a lasting impact at the community level.”
The program, initially implemented in nine rural counties across Tennessee, including Decatur, Henderson, DeKalb, Robertson, Smith, Fentress, Meigs, Rhea and Roane, is now set to expand into Blount, Cocke, Monroe, Sevier, Grundy, Marion, Sequatchie, Haywood and Fayette. Family and Consumer Sciences Extension agents and Skill Up Tennessee career navigators will be instrumental in facilitating these experiences at career fairs, health fairs and community engagement events.
To date, Future Ready has reached 40 individuals in 11 counties, with notable outcomes. UT Extension Family and Consumer Sciences reports that 73 percent of these participants noted having a better understanding of how education impacts future earnings and 88 percent identified key factors in planning their education and career paths.
“Seeing the impact of this program in such a short time has been remarkable,” said Chris Sneed, associate professor and consumer economics specialist with UT Extension Family and Consumer Sciences. “Future Ready is already driving meaningful change by empowering minds in these counties with knowledge that can transform futures.”
By expanding access to these resources, UT Extension aims to provide individuals, particularly low-income adults and SNAP recipients, with the tools necessary to secure meaningful employment and achieve financial stability.
The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture is comprised of the Herbert College of Agriculture, UT College of Veterinary Medicine, UT AgResearch and UT Extension. Through its land-grant mission of teaching, research and outreach, the Institute touches lives and provides Real. Life. Solutions. to Tennesseans and beyond. utia.tennessee.edu.