MTSU College of Education joins Nissan partnership to boost skills by training career technical educators for local high schools

Middle Tennessee State University representatives attend Nissan’s Partners in Education Signing Day event on July 29, 2024, in Decherd, Tenn. Pictured from left are MTSU Director of Strategic Partnerships Brad Tammen; College of Education Dean Neporcha Cone; College of Education professor and Elementary and Special Education Department Chair Eric Oslund; and Kristen Keene, strategic communications manager in the College of Education. (Submitted photo)

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee State University’s College of Education is training Nissan automotive employees to teach technical courses in local high schools this fall as part of a collaborative partnership with Nissan’s Centers of Excellence in the Decherd, Tennessee, area to offer advanced manufacturing skills training at those schools.

Middle Tennessee State University College of Education Dean Neporcha Cone, front center right in blue, is joined by other university representatives and a host of representatives from several community partners at Nissan’s Partners in Education Signing Day event at the automaker’s manufacturing plant in Decherd, Tenn., July 29, 2024. The event celebrated the establishment of Nissan Centers of Excellence at nearby high schools, in partnership with the Tennessee Board of Regents, to provide training to those students. MTSU education faculty is helping train Nissan employees to teach those courses full time. (Submitted photo) — Middle Tennessee State University College of Education Dean Neporcha Cone, front center right in blue, is joined by other university representatives and a host of representatives from several community partners at Nissan’s Partners in Education Signing Day event at the automaker’s manufacturing plant in Decherd, Tenn., July 29, 2024. The event celebrated the establishment of Nissan Centers of Excellence at nearby high schools, in partnership with the Tennessee Board of Regents, to provide training to those students. MTSU education faculty is helping train Nissan employees to teach those courses full-time. (Submitted photo)

The workforce development program will prepare students for careers in the automotive industry by offering a curriculum that combines theoretical knowledge with practical experience. Courses will be offered in advanced manufacturing, mechatronics and Industry 4.0 technologies, among others, and will be taught by full-time center instructors from Nissan.

Students in the program will have the opportunity to earn industry-recognized certifications and accreditations upon completion, according to Nissan, which operates a powertrain manufacturing facility in Decherd and pursued partnerships with K-12 school districts within 50 miles of the facility to establish centers at high schools.

“Nissan USA is calling this their Centers for Excellence, which is putting Nissan employees and materials in the classrooms to teach local students vital manufacturing and other technical skills,” said Eric Oslund, Elementary and Special Education Department chair in the College of Education.

MTSU’s College of Education was among several community partners to join the initiative, including the Tennessee Board of Regents, Tennessee Applied Technology Center (McMinnville, Murfreesboro, and Shelbyville), Motlow State Community College, Franklin County High School, Grundy County High School, Tullahoma High School and Warren County High School.

Oslund was joined by College of Education Dean Neporcha Cone and other MTSU representatives at a recent certificate signing event at the Decherd plant in Franklin County that was also attended by representatives of the other community partners to celebrate the launch of the centers.

Middle Tennessee State University College of Education Dean Neporcha Cone signs a partnership certificate on July 29, 2024, at Nissan’s Partners in Education Signing Day event at the automaker’s manufacturing plant in Decherd, Tenn. The event celebrated the establishment of Nissan Centers of Excellence at nearby high schools to provide career technical training to those students. MTSU faculty is helping train Nissan employees to teach those courses full-time. (Submitted photo)

MTSU’s Career Technical Education program

According to Oslund, Joy Rich, Nissan’s manager of community relations and coordinator of the Centers of Excellence, and MTSU alumna, contacted the College of Education about developing a teacher training program for their employees.

“We proposed an accelerated, module-based training program that would prepare their employees to teach Career Technical Education, or CTE, classes. Our motto is to empower the next generation of ‘difference makers,’” explained Oslund.

Middle Tennessee State University alumna Joy Rich, Nissan’s manager of community relations and coordinator of Nissan’s Centers of Excellence, speaks to community partners and other attendees at Nissan’s Partners in Education Signing Day event on July 29, 2024, at the automaker’s manufacturing plant in Decherd, Tenn. MTSU College of Education faculty is helping train Nissan employees to teach career technical training courses full time at the centers housed in nearby high schools. (Submitted photo)

The teacher training program that began in July includes six modules that will focus on the “must-haves” for training and preparing CTE instructors to teach with ongoing support from the College of Education, their school districts and Nissan throughout the year.

Everett Singleton, professor in the College of Education and Womack Educational Leadership Department, facilitated one of the training modules titled “Creating a Positive Classroom Environment,” designed to help participants establish and sustain a positive classroom environment that supports effective academic learning.

Dr. Everett Singleton, College of Education, associate professor — Dr. Everett Singleton

“My role as a facilitator was to assist in preparing and providing training for chosen Nissan employees in the Centers for Excellence program to become CTE teachers at different high schools,” said Singleton.

“My hope for new teachers is to positively impact students’ lives through course content, prioritize student achievement, and help students develop holistically, creating a positive impact on society,” he added.

Nissan employees hope to make a difference

Jamie Nunley, quality assurance engineer at Nissan, has been with the automaker for over a decade. Before working for Nissan, Nunley taught for 13 years, five years at Franklin County High School as an automotive instructor, and eight years at Nashville Auto Diesel College (now called Lincoln College of Technology).

Nunley, who will be teaching at Tullahoma High School, said he left teaching for higher pay but plans to use his experience to help students reach their highest earning potential.

“I intend to use my story, struggles, growth and mechanical skills to help (them) provide for their future family,” said Nunley. “Technology is changing, and I want to be on the tip of the spear getting the up-and-coming workforce ready! … With the certifications, a student graduating at 18 could potentially make $30 plus an hour by the time they’re 21.”

Nissan employees speak about becoming career technical educators and teaching advanced automotive skills in local high schools this fall at Nissan’s Partners in Education Signing Day event on July 29, 2024, at the automaker’s manufacturing plant in Decherd, Tenn. Pictured, from left, is Nissan’s Cassandra Rhodes from Warren County High School, Jamie Nunley from Tullahoma High School, Daniel Keele from Franklin County High School, and Bradley Cook from Grundy County High School. MTSU College of Education faculty taught the employees to teach the courses. (Submitted photo)

Cassandra Rhodes, parts quality assurance supervisor at Nissan, will be the CTE instructor for Warren County High School. Rhodes said she has a passion for learning and teaching and was encouraged by her colleagues to apply for the instructor position.

“I had previously watched a (MTSU College of Education) video presented to all employees during one of our shifts start meeting and was highly interested in the program,” said Rhodes. “Throughout my career at Nissan, I have held several training roles. I am excited to contribute to developing our future workforce as part of the COE initiative.”

Rhodes said the teacher training program will help her develop and implement an effective curriculum in the classroom and enhance her knowledge of various teaching techniques and skills.

“I hope to offer a positive learning environment where students have the opportunity to leave school equipped with the necessary skills, knowledge, and certifications to excel in the workforce,” she said.

Forging industry partnerships

MTSU College of Education faculty toured Nissan’s state-of-the-art Centers of Excellence where they met the four employees who were selected for the teacher training program.

Middle Tennessee State University College of Education Dean Neporcha Cone, right, speaks at Nissan’s Partners in Education Signing Day event at the automaker’s manufacturing plant in Decherd, Tenn., July 29, 2024. At right is MTSU Director of Strategic Partnerships Brad Tammen. The event celebrated the establishment of Nissan Centers of Excellence at nearby high schools to provide training to those students. MTSU education faculty is helping train Nissan employees to teach those courses full time. (Submitted photo) — Middle Tennessee State University College of Education Dean Neporcha Cone, right, speaks at Nissan’s Partners in Education Signing Day event at the automaker’s manufacturing plant in Decherd, Tenn., July 29, 2024. At right is MTSU Director of Strategic Partnerships Brad Tammen. The event celebrated the establishment of Nissan Centers of Excellence at nearby high schools to provide training to those students. MTSU education faculty is helping train Nissan employees to teach those courses full-time. (Submitted photo)

“These individuals bring a wealth of experience to the classroom from their time as Nissan employees in various roles,” said Singleton.

“They have been successful at Nissan and really want to help prepare the next generation of difference makers,” added Oslund.

MTSU is a leading producer of teachers in Tennessee, with dedicated and knowledgeable faculty, staff, and students committed to making significant contributions to the field of education.

“College of Education stakeholders understand the need to forge strong industry partnerships, particularly to address teacher shortages in career and technical education,” said Oslund. “Our COE was chosen because of our reputation of offering the highest quality teacher preparation and ability to think outside the box to develop high-needs teaching expertise for our local teachers.”

To learn more about the MTSU College of Education, visit, https://education.mtsu.edu/.

— Johari Hamilton (Johari.HamiltonGA@mtsu.edu)