by Payton Potter
When Austin Angland clocked in at Komatsu’s Chattanooga facility each day during his registered apprenticeship, he took another step closer to his future. As a part-time Komatsu employee and a Chattanooga State Community College dual-enrollment student, Angland was part of a growing movement redefining what it means to learn, earn, and build a career through a paid apprenticeship.
Angland, who was only 18 when his apprenticeship began, embodies the spirit of hands-on learning forged in partnership between ChattState and Komatsu America Corporation. Together, these organizations launched the Chattanooga area’s first state-certified pre-apprenticeship program to reshape how young people prepare for high-demand technical careers.
From classroom to career
The program began in 2022 with a small but ambitious cohort: five high school seniors from Sequatchie, Marion and Hamilton counties. After a competitive application process, these students earned a coveted spot on Komatsu’s shop floor.
Each weekday morning, they put in four hours at Komatsu, earning hourly pay while learning hands-on skills in industrial maintenance and welding. By afternoon, they returned to their high schools to complete academic coursework.
Walt Nichols, vice president of manufacturing operations at Komatsu North America Manufacturing Operations, said the success of Komatsu’s pre-apprentice program is evident in its retention of apprentices after graduation. Angland, for example, earned his TCAT diploma in industrial automation and is now a full-time Komatsu employee at only 20 years old.
“This resurgence of technical training in high schools and colleges is very refreshing,” Nichols said. “We realized that was a great opportunity for us to supplement our workforce.”
The company is also expanding its apprenticeship offerings to include CNC machining and will accept up to six apprentices for its inaugural cohort in Fall 2026.
A collaborative effort
Behind the success of this pre-apprenticeship lies a year-long collaboration among Komatsu, Career and Technical Education (CTE) instructors and directors from three county school districts, the Southeast Tennessee Development District, the State Office of Apprenticeship and Chattanooga State.
That partnership reflects a shared goal: to bridge education and industry, ensuring Tennessee’s workforce is ready for the future.
“This program demonstrates what’s possible when education and industry work hand-in-hand,” says Pam Gitta, ChattState apprenticeship manager. “Students gain real-world experience, and employers gain a stronger, more prepared pipeline of talent.”
Real work, real impact
The pre-apprenticeship experience offers more than just a paycheck. It gives students confidence and critical thinking skills that can’t be taught in a classroom alone. On the job, they learn safety procedures, preventive maintenance, and the daily realities of modern manufacturing, said Komatsu apprenticeship mentor James Shackleford.
“In maintenance, you’re thrown into a problem-solving, critical-thinking tapestry,” he said. “You’re going into stuff that’s broken down, and you’re trying to problem-solve and troubleshoot.”
After the students complete their pre-apprenticeships, they become eligible for full-time apprenticeships through ChattState in high-demand fields such as industrial maintenance and welding. Those programs combine paid work with structured, credentialed training, leading to portable, nationally recognized certifications and lifelong career opportunities.
A pathway to prosperity
The Komatsu-ChattState partnership stands as a model for how Tennessee industries and colleges can tackle the state’s workforce challenges head-on. What began as a response to post-pandemic labor shortages has evolved into a viable pathway to prosperity that benefits students, employers, and communities alike.
As Angland and his peers continue their journeys, their stories underscore a simple truth: when education and industry connect, Tennessee’s future works.
This article was originally published here.