Local high school students graduate from BASF’s TECH Academy
CHATTANOOGA, TN, July 2, 2021 — Today, eight Hamilton County high school juniors and seniors graduated from BASF’s TECH Academy, a program that introduces students to technical and craft careers through a partnership with Chattanooga State Community College.
“Our local manufacturing community shares an ongoing commitment to providing educational experience for students in hopes they’ll consider future technical careers in science and technology,” said Rob Gagliano, BASF Site Director in Chattanooga. “From experiments and demonstrations with Chattanooga State professors to daily tours of manufacturing facilities, we are able to offer a meaningful glimpse into manufacturing and help our students see the variety of exciting career opportunities available to them.”
Each day of TECH Academy began with hands-on classroom sessions led by Chattanooga State professors. Students participated in afternoon field trips for additional training and gained industry experience at nearby manufacturing facilities. This year, students toured Branch Technology, Gestamp, Komatsu, Westinghouse Electric and BASF’s Chattanooga facility.
Students learned soft skills to use in the workplace and technical skills related to plant operations, engineering practices, 3D printing, welding, mechatronics and more.
“TECH Academy was a great opportunity to learn more about careers available to me after I graduate,” said Mya Favors, a TECH Academy participant and rising junior at East Ridge High School. “I enjoyed participating in experiments at Chattanooga State and meeting people at the manufacturing facilities who are in jobs I saw during TECH Academy.”
TECH Academy is part of BASF’s STEM education and workforce development efforts in North America to support industry growth and investment in the region. The program is funded annually by BASF and is free for students. The application process is open to any local student going into their junior or senior year of high school with interest in technical careers. Applications for the 2022 TECH Academy will open in February.
The following students completed TECH Academy 2021:
- Ansley Townsend – Hixson High School
- Reagan Schultz - Ooltewah High School
- Christopher Scheiwe – Ooltewah High School
- Seth Jarvis – Ooltewah High School
- Erik Souza- Ooltewah High School
- Mya Favors – East Ridge High School
- Jaxon Ryan – Lookout Valley High School
- Nasir Franklin – Chattanooga Center for Creative Arts
For more information about BASF in Tennessee, visit http://www.basf.us/tennessee.
About BASF
BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has approximately 17,000 employees in North America and had sales of $18.7 billion in 2020. For more information about BASF’s North American operations, visit www.basf.com/us.
At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. More than 110,000 employees in the BASF Group contribute to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of €59 billion in 2020. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the U.S. Further information at http://www.basf.com.
