AI, Gen Z workforce among topics discussed at Education to Employment Summit

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — Hundreds of leaders in Tri-Cities education and business met for a summit in Jonesborough on Wednesday.

Roughly 200 leaders gathered at Grace Meadow Farms for the annual Education to Employment Summit. The goal of the summit, which is hosted by the First Tennessee Development District (FTDD), is to bring together key figures in local industry, business and education to help the region move forward.

“It’s really about building the pipeline of the workforce of the future,” said Lottie Ryans, the FTDD’s director of workforce and literacy initiatives. “Every year, we look to see what the trends are, get feedback from past participants and what are the hot topics we need to address.”

The keynote speaker at the summit was Dr. Lynn Parker, an expert in the field of artificial intelligence.

During the summit, a panel of Gen Z participants spoke about what is important to them as they prepare to enter the workforce.

“We invited some high school students to be our guests so they are actually sitting at the table with a superintendent or with an HR leader and they are getting to give their ideas,” Ryans said.

Ryans said the event helps the community advance by creating bridges between key figures in education and executives in various industries.

“It’s such a regional thing we have all the major chambers and the economic development entities who are sponsors and to just see how we can do something together as a region is powerful.”

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