For 30 years, the Poplar Foundation has invested in quality education for low-income students in Memphis, helping thousands pursue college and successful careers. But the reality is clear: college isn’t the right path for every student. Many first-generation students struggle to persist, while others want or need to enter the workforce immediately after high school. The challenge is ensuring these students graduate prepared for meaningful, well-paying careers—not just low-wage jobs.

That question led to the creation of the Tennessee Career Academy (TCA), a new public charter school focused on Career Technical Education (CTE). Located on American Way near Perkins, TCA opened with its first sixth and seventh grade classes and will grow to eventually serve over 1,000 students in grades 6–12. The school’s mission is simple: graduate 150–200 students each year fully prepared to step into Memphis’s workforce.

TCA focuses on four major career pathways aligned with local industry demand:

• Business & Communications – technology training, certifications, and professional skills

• Engineering & Advanced Manufacturing – opportunities with Blue Oval City, industrial maintenance, and medical device machining

• Health & Human Services – leveraging Memphis’s healthcare sector with roles like ultrasound techs and EMTs

• Construction & Skilled Trades – HVAC, electricians, plumbers, carpenters, welding, and more

What makes TCA unique is its deep integration with Memphis industries:

• Career exploration begins in middle school, showing kids the opportunities in their own city.

• Every high school student receives hands-on training, dual enrollment, internships, and apprenticeships.

• Advisory councils of business leaders and practitioners shape curriculum to ensure graduates are job-ready on day one.

With Tennessee Career Academy, Memphis students gain access to a one-of-a-kind career prep model—aligning education with opportunity and equipping the next generation of workers for success in Memphis industries.

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