A recently awarded $1.33 million National Science Foundation Planning Grant is designed to strengthen the nation’s power grid and expand the workforce for the growing quantum economy, especially in southeast Tennessee. Chattanooga State is collaborating with UTC and Chattanooga Quantum Collaborative (CQC) on this grant, along with EPB, and local workforce boards to introduce targeted workforce training programs aligned with the needs of startups and pilot partners as their technologies mature.

These training tracks will run in parallel with the deployment and scaling phases of the quantum accelerator. This project not only advances critical research but also invests in workforce development programs that connect education directly to local career opportunities in energy, cybersecurity, and applied quantum systems.

As part of the initiative, ChattState will launch course modules and stackable credentials in two high-demand areas:

• Quantum-enabled Cyber Defense
• Quantum-enabled Networking

Each credential can be stacked toward Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degrees in Engineering and Information Technology, giving students and mid-career professionals multiple pathways to advance their skills and careers. By combining CQC’s network, university research, community college training, apprenticeships, and employer partnerships, this initiative ensures that regional residents have direct access to emerging opportunities in quantum technology and cybersecurity while also supporting startups and technology deployment.

>>> Read UTC’s full announcement here: NSF awards $1.33 million to UTC-led effort to protect nation’s power grid.