The Haywood High School Career and Tech Commons area was the meeting place on April 17 for the third Industrial Roundtable luncheon, hosted by the Brownsville-Haywood County Chamber of Commerce and its director, Renée Moss. Attending were representatives from Brownsville industries Precision Coils, Cascades IFC and Lasco Fittings. Also attending were Duane Lavery, President and CEO of HTL Advantage, Tracey Exum and Roger Sigler of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, Haywood County Schools Superintendent Teresa Russell, HHS Principal Dr. Jerry Pyron, HHS Career and Technical Director Pam Diebold and Career and Tech electrical and wiring and manufacturing teacher James Moss.

This meeting was set up by Ms. Moss, who worked with Director Pam Diebold to arrange the luncheon and provide information about the C & T Department and a tour of the classrooms.

“We realized that there was a disconnect between industry and education in the community,” Ms. Moss said. Discussion after the luncheon and before the tour centered around how the Career and Tech Division can provide classes and training for students that will better prepare them for jobs in the local industries. Mrs. Diebold expressed her willingness to develop these programs to meet the needs of the industries.

In the first meeting in December, the Roundtable group discussed the new AMT Program at Jackson State Community College, and at the second meeting in March, Chuck Marquis with Tennessee Valley Authority was the guest speaker.

Preparing the lunch for the group was the Career and Tech Culinary Arts class under the direction of instructor Vickie Noles.