The BlackRock Foundation has awarded a $500,000 grant to Chattanooga 2.0 to expand its Viable Pathways to Prosperity initiative—an effort that connects high school graduates to quality job training and high-wage career opportunities in fast-growing industries such as cybersecurity, data analysis, and welding.
Launched in 2023, Viable Pathways helps Hamilton County public high school graduates transition directly from high school into thriving careers.
Chattanooga 2.0 currently offers four career pathway tracks in Lineworking, Welding, Data Analysis, and Dental Hygiene. These programs equip students with in-demand skills, link them to high-growth job opportunities, and provide ongoing mentorship and support to ensure long-term success.
Now, with the support of The BlackRock Foundation, Viable Pathways will add a new career pathway, a Cybersecurity track developed in partnership with the Chattanooga Technology Council and BuildWithin.
This grant will also strengthen the Data Analysis and Welding pathways by funding wraparound services—such as stipends for housing, childcare, food, tools, transportation and non-tuition costs which would help students complete training—in collaboration with the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce, Chattanooga State Community College, UA Local 43, and the American Welding Society.
Over the two-year period of this investment, at least 136 learners will be trained and placed into careers with starting salaries of $50,000 or higher.
“The Viable Pathways to Prosperity initiative is about our kids, our jobs, and our community’s future,” said Dr. Keri Randolph, Executive Director of Chattanooga 2.0. “The support of The BlackRock Foundation, along with investments from local employers, partners, and the State of Tennessee, will open new pathways for hundreds of our students, connecting them to sectors where demand and opportunity are highest.”
The BlackRock Foundation’s grant is part of a larger effort to expand economic security in communities across the US. In 2025 alone, The BlackRock Foundation has provided over $10 million to support economic mobility for individuals living on low- to- moderate incomes.
“At The BlackRock Foundation, we’re committed to providing individuals an on-ramp to careers that offer a thriving livelihood and a path to a secure retirement,” said Claire Chamberlain, President of The BlackRock Foundation. “Expanding pathways to financial security is a purpose in which both our employees and our clients take great pride.”
The BlackRock Foundation’s grant aligns with a statewide push to strengthen Tennessee’s workforce. According to recent data, two out of three Tennessee business leaders report a shortage of appropriately trained workers. In response, Governor Bill Lee and the Tennessee General Assembly have included over $20 million in workforce development investments in the FY2025-2026 state budget.
"The Viable Pathways to Prosperity initiative represents exactly the kind of innovative, community-driven approach we need to build a stronger workforce across Tennessee,” said Deniece Thomas, Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development. “By aligning education, training, and employment opportunities, Chattanooga 2.0 is creating real pathways for individuals and families to achieve economic mobility. This initiative directly supports the State’s priority to strengthen workforce development and ensure every Tennessean has access to meaningful, sustainable careers.”
“Thanks to Viable Pathways, I was able to start with no welding experience and after just four weeks of training, build a real skill, and start a job in a thriving industry,” said Cam Bell, graduate of the Welding pathway. “This program gave me the confidence, welding skills, and life skills I need —and helped me see a future I didn’t before.”
For more information about Viable Pathways to Prosperity, visit chatt2.org/viable-pathways