Two Tennessee representatives are creating an initiative to bridge the workforce gap. The plan encourages companies to target students who may not be college bound.

They want companies like Electrolux or Smith & Nephew to consider students like those at Tennessee Technology Center who are learning specialized skills that require detail, precision, and knowledge of the latest machines.

Director Roland Rayner says not every student is college bound. He says the school is educating students in fields that will never go away.

"Your auto mechanic, your aircraft mechanics, your practical nurse, your business system technicians, your welders, your machinist, there's an industry out there they need to utilize those individuals if they want to grow their business and they need those workers," says Rayner.

Representative Antonio Parkinson elaborates, "On one hand we've got individuals saying it's hard to find a job, on the other hand we've got many company's saying we can't find qualified workers, so now what we're trying to do is bridge the gap."

The goal is to encourage more companies to work directly with technology based centers to teach students the skill set companies are specifically asking for.

The focus of the initiative is to not only look at college students or even those in high school, but in junior high to help them understand good money can be made without a four-year degree.

"Some of these jobs pay anywhere from $25-$45 dollars an hour, which are great paying jobs," says Parkinson.

More and more industries are searching for well trained workers from diagnostic to repairs, and centers like TTC can give you the specified skill and knowledge.