The Enterprise Center is convening regional leaders on Friday, January 30, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. to host the Chattanooga IT Pathways Hackathon: Designing Future-Ready IT Career Pathways.
This fast-paced, collaborative event is aimed at shaping the future of the region’s tech workforce, and is supported by Chattanooga 2.0, Benwood Foundation, WYRE Technology, and the ChaTech Council.
Technology roles continue to provide some of Chattanooga and Hamilton County’s strongest long-term career opportunities. However, the pace of change in IT, from automation to emerging digital tools, is creating gaps between the skills employers need and the pathways available to students and young adults.
Many employers say they are ready to hire based on skills rather than degrees alone. Yet hiring systems are still catching up. The hackathon brings together educators, workforce partners, employers, and community organizations to develop actionable solutions that strengthen and streamline pathways into technology careers.
Participants will examine questions including:
- What defines a “tech job” when digital skills apply to nearly every industry?
- Which skills, credentials, and experiences actually matter for hiring?
- How can students access more real-world learning and on-the-job exposure?
- What systems and partnerships are needed to keep pathways updated over time?
Winning team ideas will be considered for rapid implementation through existing regional workforce initiatives.
- Friday, January 30
- 9 AM–1 PM
- Lupton Building, 1010 Market St., Chattanooga, TN
- Free registration: bit.ly/ITpathwayshackathon
The event is open to employers, training providers, career and education partners, and workforce stakeholders committed to strengthening Chattanooga and Hamilton County’s talent pipeline.
The Enterprise Center (TEC) is a Chattanooga-based nonprofit economic development partner to the city, county, region, and state dedicated to uniting people, organizations, and technology to build an advanced future rooted in community connection.
To learn more about The Enterprise Center’s work and resources, visit theenterprisectr.org.