Tennessee College of Applied Technology Athens

What Tennessee College of Applied Technology Athens does

Tennessee College of Applied Technology Athens (TCAT Athens) is a public technical college founded in 1965 and operated as a constituent college of the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) system, which governs 27 technology colleges and 13 community colleges across the state. The institution delivers certificate and diploma programs across nine technical fields: Automotive Technology, Collision Repair Technology, Computer Information Technology, Cosmetology, Industrial Maintenance Systems, Machine Tool Technology, Medium Heavy Equipment Technician, Practical Nursing, and Welding Technology. Programs use competency-based, open-entry instruction with flexible pacing and prepare students for industry certifications including ASE, CompTIA, NCLEX-PN, and Microsoft AZ-800. The college operates three campus locations (Main Campus in Athens, McMinn Higher Education Center in Athens, and PIE Center in Cleveland) serving McMinn, Monroe, Bradley, Meigs, and Polk counties in southeastern Tennessee.

Revenue is generated through per-trimester tuition (ranging from $287 for 1-40 hours to $1,541 for 341-432 hours for Tennessee residents), pass-through federal and state financial aid administration (Pell Grants, Wilder-Naifeh Technical Skills Grant, TN Promise, TN Reconnect), and a customized business and industry training stream that delivers contract training to Tennessee employers. The go-to-market motion is direct-to-consumer: prospective students enroll through campus visits and first-come, first-served admissions; dual-enrollment pipelines flow through K-12 partnerships across the five-county region; and a dedicated veterans services function supports GI Bill and VETS Campus-program beneficiaries. The college is accredited by the Council on Occupational Education and is governed under the TBR system, with Susan Hatto serving as President since 2022.

Name

Tennessee College of Applied Technology Athens

Legal name

Tennessee College of Applied Technology

Website

https://tcatathens.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

TCAT Athens is a public Tennessee Board of Regents technical college founded in 1965, delivering nine certificate and diploma programs (automotive, welding, nursing, IT, and skilled trades) across three campuses serving five southeastern Tennessee counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Technical and Vocational Education

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Other Technical and Trade Schools (611519), Computer Training (611420)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Technical Community Colleges (Applied/CTE-Focused) (EDAHADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Career & Technical Education (CTE) Centers & Programs (EDAJAAAJ), Telecommunications (EDABALAY), Vendor/Authorized Certification Training (Microsoft/AWS/Cisco, etc.) (BPAEANAA)

Keywords

• Technical education programs
• Workforce training
• Career certificate programs
• Industry certification preparation
• Skilled trades training

Headquarters

HQ city

Athens

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Students pay tuition based on trimester hours enrolled, with rates ranging from $287 (1-40 hours) to $1,541 (341-432 hours) per trimester for Tennessee residents. Additional program-specific fees apply for programs like HVAC, Practical Nursing, and Welding.
2. Financial Aid: Federal and state financial aid including Pell Grants, Wilder-Naifeh Technical Skills Grant (up to $2,000/year), TN Promise, TN Reconnect, and federal work-study. The college does not offer student loans.
3. Customized Business Training: Customized employee training for Tennessee businesses and industries, with flexible course offerings in technical, industrial, office, and healthcare skills.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

TCAT Athens delivers competency-based, hands-on technical certificate and diploma programs across nine career fields (Automotive Technology, Collision Repair, Computer Information Technology, Cosmetology, Industrial Maintenance, Machine Tool Technology, Medium Heavy Equipment, Practical Nursing, and Welding Technology) using open-entry enrollment and flexible pacing. The college also provides customized workforce training for Tennessee businesses and dual enrollment opportunities for high school students.

Product overview

Tennessee College of Applied Technology Athens is a technical education institution offering certificate and diploma programs across nine career-focused areas: Automotive Technology, Collision Repair Technology, Computer Information Technology, Cosmetology, Industrial Maintenance Systems, Machine Tool Technology, Medium Heavy Equipment Technician, Practical Nursing, and Welding Technology. Programs combine classroom instruction with hands-on training to prepare students for industry certifications and employment. The institution also provides customized workforce training for business and industry partners, dual enrollment opportunities for high school students, and access to student services through the MyTCAT portal.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MyTCAT: Student portal providing access to admissions application, financial aid, online registration, payments and other student information.
• SkillsUSA
• National Technical Honor Society (NTHS)

Products and services

• Automotive Technology

Quantifiable outcome

• Programs designed to get students job-ready in 12 months or less
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Cleveland State Community CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2015Partnership allowing Mechatronics program students to earn dual credit from Cleveland State Community College as part of the LEAP Grant program implemented in seven area county high schools.
• SkillsUSAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2004TCAT Athens became the first postsecondary institution in Tennessee to have school-wide membership in SkillsUSA. Students participate in leadership development, competitions, and conferences through SkillsUSA Tennessee Postsecondary.
• K-12 School Systems (Tennessee)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships with K-12 school systems across McMinn, Monroe, Bradley, Meigs, and Polk counties enabling high school students to earn dual enrollment credit. Students can earn both high school and college credit simultaneously through these partnerships.
• U.S. Department of Veterans AffairscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVA education benefits programs including Post-9/11 GI Bill, Montgomery GI Bill, Veteran Readiness and Employment (Chapter 31), and Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance Program. TCAT Athens certified to accept these benefits for approved programs.
• National Technical Honor Society (NTHS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNTHS honors outstanding student achievement in career and technical education. TCAT Athens chapter provides scholarships and recognition for top students meeting GPA and community service requirements.
• Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTHEC administers the VETS Campus certification program, awards certifications, and reviews institutions for renewal. TCAT Athens has earned VETS Campus certification demonstrating commitment to veteran student success.
• Tennessee Board of RegentscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTCAT Athens is governed by the Tennessee Board of Regents, the largest higher education system in Tennessee, which coordinates 40 post-secondary educational institutions including 13 community colleges and 27 technology colleges.
• Council on Occupational Education (COE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTCAT Athens is accredited by the Commission of the Council on Occupational Education. The COE ensures quality and integrity in career and technical education across over 181,000 students nationwide.
• Nuclear Industry EmployerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTCAT Athens provides pathways to nuclear industry careers through programs including building construction technology, electrical maintenance, machine tool technology, trucking, and welding. All 23 Tennessee TCATs support the state's nuclear workforce development efforts.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Pellissippi State Community College: Tennessee community college in the same East Tennessee region offering applied technology programs, dual enrollment, and workforce training. Overlaps with TCAT Athens in workforce development and dual enrollment mission, though operating under different governance and with broader academic offerings.

Direct peers

• Cleveland State Community College: Tennessee community college with an active dual-credit partnership with TCAT Athens via the LEAP Grant Mechatronics program. Comparable regional workforce training provider offering technical certifications and serving overlapping student populations in Bradley County.
• Tennessee College of Applied Technology Knoxville: One of 27 sister TCATs operating under the Tennessee Board of Regents, offering comparable technical certificates and diploma programs in automotive, industrial maintenance, and healthcare to a different Tennessee region. Directly comparable institutional model, governance, and funding structure.
• Tennessee College of Applied Technology Murfreesboro: Another sister TCAT in the Tennessee Board of Regents system offering overlapping certificate and diploma programs to a different Tennessee region. Closely comparable institutional structure, program categories, and funding model.
• Tennessee College of Applied Technology Nashville: Sister TCAT in the Tennessee Board of Regents system providing certificate and diploma programs in similar technical fields including automotive, welding, and practical nursing. Direct comparable in mission, structure, and customer segments.
• Tennessee College of Applied Technology Memphis: Another constituent TCAT under the Tennessee Board of Regents delivering the same competency-based, industry-aligned technical training across overlapping program categories. Shares governance, accreditation framework, and revenue model with TCAT Athens.

Broad incumbents

• Universal Technical Institute: National for-profit technical college specializing in automotive, diesel, welding, and industrial trades with industry-aligned certification preparation. Comparable program portfolio and employer-focused value proposition, though operates at much larger scale across multiple states with tuition-based rather than state-funded model.
• Lincoln Tech: Established for-profit career training provider offering automotive, welding, HVAC, and healthcare programs including practical nursing across multiple U.S. campuses. Comparable in industry-aligned certification prep and employer pipelines, though operates as a private multi-state institution.
• Ivy Tech Community College: Largest state community college system in the U.S., operating in Indiana with extensive technical, trade, and workforce development programs serving comparable dual enrollment, veteran, and customized business training audiences. Comparable CTE and workforce training mission at much larger scale.

Emerging players

• WyoTech: Specialized for-profit technical school focused on automotive, diesel, and welding programs with industry-aligned certification preparation. Comparable in narrow CTE specialty and employer-aligned curriculum, though operates at smaller scale in different geographies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/tcat_athens
• Facebookfacebook.com/tcatathens
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tcat-athens

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tennessee College of Applied Technology Athens