BASF’s TECH Academy Supports Chattanooga Students in Exploring Technical Careers

Nineteen students from across the Chattanooga area have completed BASF’s TECH Academy. The week-long immersive program delivered in partnership with Chattanooga State Community College introduces students to technical and craft careers through real-world industry access, hands-on skills training and direct mentorship from working professionals.

Now in its 7th year, TECH Academy in Chattanooga has become one of the region’s most distinctive workforce pipelines, connecting students with STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) career fields at a critical point in their academic journey. The program is funded entirely by BASF at no cost to participants.

“What sets TECH Academy apart is that students aren’t just learning about these careers, they are experiencing them,” said Brittany Davis, Operations Manager at BASF’s Chattanooga site. “When a student watches a welder at work or walks a production floor, something clicks that no classroom alone can replicate. Our partnership with Chattanooga State Community College makes that possible, bringing together the best of academic instruction and real industry access in a single week.”

TECH Academy begins each day in the classroom, where Chattanooga State instructors lead experiments and demonstrations that give students a grounding in STEAM concepts before sending them out into the field. During the afternoon, students tour operations at BASF and industry partners, including Komatsu, Branch Technology, Chattanooga Bakery and TVA, giving them access to a range of industries, including manufacturing, infrastructure, construction technology, food production and chemical engineering.

Beyond the tours, students build practical skills in welding, PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) systems, energy circuits, and chemical plant processes, all of which are identified by employers across sectors as being in high demand and chronically underfilled.

“TECH Academy opened my eyes to opportunities I hadn’t considered before — especially the welding class on the first day,” said a 2026 attendee of BASF’s TECH Academy. “Seeing how different companies use technology and what it’s really like to work in those environments gave me a lot to think about for my future.”

TECH Academy is part of BASF’s broader STEAM education and workforce development strategy across North America, an effort grounded in the belief that regional investment includes supporting local talent pipelines.

The program is open to any local student entering their junior or senior year of high school who has an interest in technical careers. Applications for the 2027 TECH Academy will open in February.

For more information about BASF in Tennessee, visit BASF in Tennessee.