TCAT and Scott County Sheriff’s Office partner for work-based learning initiative
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TCAT and Scott County Sheriff’s Office partner for
work-based learning initiative
Pictured in the welding shop at TCAT Oneida/Huntsville’s main campus in Huntsville are, from left, Welding Technology instructor Chris Chambers, Criminal Justice instructor Abby Duncan, Scott County Jail Administrator Capt. Amy Lay, TCAT Oneida/Huntsville President Dwight Murphy, and TCAT Oneida/Huntsville Vice President Tim Smith.
HUNTSVILLE — As part of a collaborative agreement between Tennessee College of Applied Technology Oneida/Huntsville and the Scott County Sheriff’s Office, future corrections officers will be able to receive on-site training at the Scott County Jail as part of their educational experience at TCAT.
The new agreement was announced Monday by TCAT Oneida/Huntsville President Dwight Murphy and Scott County Sheriff Brian Keeton.
The work-based learning initiative will allow Criminal Justice: Correctional Officer students at TCAT Oneida/Huntsville to job shadow at the Scott County Justice Center jail facility in Huntsville.
“It’s one thing to watch a video of a correctional environment, but it’s entirely different to step inside and experience it firsthand,” said TCAT Criminal Justice instructor Abby Duncan. “Being on site will give our students a level of understanding, awareness and respect for the profession that simply can’t be replicated in a classroom.”
The new agreement with the Scott County Sheriff’s Office will help TCAT students see first-hand the training they’re already simulating through the MILO law enforcement simulator that is in place on the Oneida campus.
“I want to thank Sheriff Keeton and Capt. Amy Lay for partnering with us in such an impactful way,” said TCAT Oneida/Huntsville President Dwight Murphy. “They recognize the value of hands-on education, and their leadership will allow our students to gain real-world experience while also contributing to a safer, stronger Scott County.”
In addition to helping students further their education through firsthand experiences, the new agreement is designed to lessen employee turnover and reduce the cost burden for the Sheriff’s Office, Duncan explained.
“They sometimes hire corrections officers who think that’s what they want to do, and then they realize after they start work that they don’t want to do it,” Duncan said. “There’s a lot of money lost on drug tests, psych evaluations, and things like that. This allows prospective corrections officers to try it and be sure it’s what they want to do before they actually go to work.”
TCAT’s Criminal Justice: Correctional Officer program is designed for students who want to pursue careers as corrections officers in jail and prison settings. The program teaches all aspects of the correctional facility environment, from inmate processing to maintaining order in the jail, disciplinary measures and searching for contraband. It teaches emergency procedures, mental health and first aid, defensive tactics and use of force, ethics and legal issues, investigations, and personal development.
The 8-month program requires 648 clock hours to complete. Of that total, 162 hours — or approximately 27% — will be spent on-site at the Scott County Justice Center through the new agreement.
Students interested in the Criminal Justice: Correctional Officer program can apply online at tcatoneida.edu, or call (423) 663-4900 to schedule a program tour and meet the instructor. Financial aid is available to those who qualify.
The Tennessee College of Applied Technologies-Oneida/Huntsville does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability or age. See: tcatoneida.edu/about/non-discrimination-statement.