In a surprise announcement near the end of the groundbreaking ceremony for SR 33, Representative Dennis Powers stated that Union County would be receiving $9M to build a Tennessee College of Applied Technology and a community college adjacent to Union County High School. According to Powers, the construction would become a model for higher education across Tennessee.
County Mayor Jason Bailey added that seniors would be graduating with work ready certifications, additional dual enrollment courses, and possibly a high school diploma and an associate degree at the same time.

One of the most important ways to invest in the future of agriculture is to invest in the people who will become tomorrow’s agriculture industry leaders. Students pursuing the agriculture industry often look for careers in planning, implementation, production, management, processing, education, or marketing ag products and services. Tennessee Department of Education predicts that over 60,000 high-skilled agricultural jobs open annually in the United States with just around 35,400 graduates in the Ag, Food, and Natural Resources program studies to fill the openings.