TCAT Elizabethton's Boones Creek Campus continues to grow. Gov. Lee helps open new building

Gov. Bill Lee, other state and community leaders, and students celebrated the opening of the second phase of TCAT Elizabethton’s Boone’s Creek Extension Campus in Washington County on Tuesday, June 10 – a new building that has enabled expansion of the college’s career and technical education programs for the region.

The new 22,400-square-foot, $8.035 million shop building is the second major facility at the TCAT at Boones Creek campus. The first – a combination of new construction and renovation of a portion of the former Boones Creek Elementary School on the site – opened to students in Fall 2023.

Addressing the TCAT students assembled in front of the new building, Governor Lee said, “This is for you. And it’s because we need you, as a state. We need you as the next generation of Tennesseans to move this state forward and to keep her in the place that she’s in today. That’s why there’s an investment in you and in your future right here.”

Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) Elizabethton serves Northeast Tennessee with a broad array of 23 career and technical education programs through campuses and teaching locations in Carter, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi and Washington counties.

At Boones Creek, the college currently offers skilled training in Building Construction Technology, Cosmetology, Heavy Equipment Operator, Industrial Electricity, Off-road Diesel Technology, and Practical Nursing. TCAT at Boones Creek will launch a new Truck Driving program this fall.

Washington County Mayor Joe Grandy said, “The TCAT means so much to the entire community – but this facility at Boones Creek brings a different type of training to the community. We’ve never had heavy equipment operations training here. Here, young people will be able to learn on simulators and on real equipment to be able to go into the field and support our contractors who desperately need people with these skills.”

As the elementary school was moving to its new location nearby, Mayor Grandy and Washington County Schools leaders took their vision of the site as a center for career and technical education to Governor Lee and legislative leaders, who embraced and expanded on their concept and funded the new TCAT campus there. The school district and the county donated the land for the project.

Thus far, $16 million has been invested in the campus, which now consists of two large buildings totaling nearly 50,000 square feet of classroom, shop, office, and student gathering spaces.

“We thought we might get a little bit of money to renovate what was here,” the mayor said. “I’ll just say that the governor had a different vision. He wanted to see something new and exciting, something that would benefit students for a lot of years. So we were able to take a portion of the existing building that was relatively new and renovate it – and put an addition on to that, and to begin to plan phase two, which was a much bigger project. And we have plans for a phase three.”

TCAT Elizabethton President Heath McMillian said, “With growth that Northeast Tennessee is experiencing, this facility and these new programs will ensure more students have access to quality workforce training. As we look across the state and what is happening in the College System of Tennessee, it is clear that Tennessee is winning.”

Tennessee Board of Regents Chancellor Flora W. Tydings and Board of Regents Members Miles Burdine and Ross Roberts also participated in the ribbon-cutting event.

“I  join President McMillian in thanking everyone who played a role in this project,” Chancellor Tydings said. “I’m glad that Governor Lee could be here today, because this campus is part of his vision for expanded career and technical education for our state. He  proposed – and the state legislature approved – the largest commitment of capital funding for career and technical education in the history of our state: more than $1.5 billion, which is fully funding our TCAT Master Plan at one time – a plan that we envisioned would take 10 years of funding to complete.”

Regent Burdine, who is President and CEO of the Kingsport Chamber, said he’s “proud that we have Northeast State Community College and the Tennessee College of Applied Technology serving our region, providing first-rate, affordable academic and career and technical education.

“I encourage you to check out the long list of career training opportunities here. I’m glad to see the students gathered here. They can attest that the TCAT provides tremendous value – especially with the great opportunities the state provides through Tennessee Promise, Tennessee Reconnect and other financial aid.”

He also cited the colleges’ Dual Enrollment programs, which enable high school students to enroll in college courses and earn college credit.

TCAT at Boones Creek is located just off Interstate 26, on Christian Church Road near Johnson City.