Coburn named director of industrial, contract training

Brad Coburn has been named the director of industrial and contract training. His position is in the Business and Community Services Division.

BCS oversees continuing education, including both non-credit courses and institution certificates. The division works with individuals and area employers to provide computer training, industrial and technical training and business, professional and personal development courses. BCS offers classroom and online courses, as well as customized training in the workplace.

“My role is to contract between industry and Pellissippi State,” said Coburn, “and to provide the training businesses need.” As a former employee of the automotive industry, Coburn says he understands firsthand the growing need of continuing education in the workplace.

Providing workers with the opportunity to “skill upgrade” keeps them competitive in a market that has seen many industrial positions outsourced to other nations, he says.

“Industrial employees must stay up to date with new technology in order to succeed,” he said.

“We are very pleased that Brad has joined the staff,” said Teri Brahams, executive director of BCS, “and we look forward to seeing his ideas for benefiting area employers implemented.”

A Knoxville native, Coburn is a graduate of Halls High School. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from Southeastern Louisiana University. His wife is a middle school teacher, and the couple has one daughter, 9, and one son, 6.