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 During an executive committee meeting of the Southeast Tennessee Development District (SETDD) today held at the SETHRA Offices in
Dunlap
,
TN
, Patsy Hazelwood, Assistant Vice President for AT & T, announced a $12,500 contribution to help fund technology training for full-time professional employees. Computer training in Microsoft XP, Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access and Publisher will strengthen the development district’s ability to deliver critical government funded programs and services throughout the region.
The District is a special purpose unit of government that provides staffing for programming important to local governments throughout southeast
Tennessee
. The District cost effectively shares a staff that plans, administers and implements programs and services in four main areas: human services, workforce development, community planning and economic development. Services include home and community based services for the frail, elderly and disabled, on-the-job training, work ready programs for at-risk youth, business development, utility planning and grant writing. The District provides a broad range of programs and services by cost effectively leveraging staff that is multi-trained and talented in lots of areas. This enables smaller, more rural local governments to provide services to their communities without having to hire professional staff for which they would not have the funds.
Beth Jones, Executive Director of the District, said: “Technology is the bread and butter for every program and service that we as an agency deliver. Every dollar that is spent must be accounted for which means that we rely heavily on the technology and the data. As technology and software improve, there is little or no funding available to train staff and this grant makes this possible. Janet Felton, IT Manager, strives for continuous improvement in the skill sets of our employees and she is to be commended for a job well done on writing a successfully funded application.”
“AT & T’s contribution is in essence helping every local government in the region by enabling our staff to become more proficient,” said Howell Moss, Marion County Mayor. He went on to add that this is another indication of AT & T’s commitment to advancing education, strengthening communities and improving lives. In 2006, AT & T contributed more than $101 million through corporate, employee and AT & T Foundation-giving programs.
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