Commentary: Maintaining High Standards in Math and Science is Critical to Ensuring Tennessee Students Benefit from the ‘Nuclear Renaissance’
Exterior of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (Photo by Oak Ridge)
This week, the Tennessee Board of Regents hosted a Nuclear Workforce Summit in Oak Ridge, aimed at connecting students in the state’s community college and Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) systems with nuclear industry professionals and business leaders.
As Tennessee leads the nation in a “nuclear renaissance”, graduating students will be presented with new opportunities to enter high-skill, high-demand careers such as Nuclear Technician, Nuclear Power Reactor Operator, and Nuclear Engineer.
These are great jobs—all earning a median income of over $100,000, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Yet these career pathways are competitive, and nuclear-related companies locating in Tennessee will depend on a trained workforce to meet industry demands. 81 percent of workers in the nuclear energy field have reached some level of postsecondary attainment, and even positions without specific degree requirements, such as technicians and operators, still require substantial mathematical, mechanical, and critical thinking skills.
These statistics underscore a larger point—as Tennessee’s economy continues to diversify and becomes increasingly sophisticated, education and training should mirror these trends to give students a competitive edge in the future workforce.
This starts before higher education. Math and science curricula are part of Tennessee’s high school graduation standards, making up four and three credit requirements, respectively.
Core coursework, such as Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II, requires students to demonstrate proficiency through End-of-Course Exams (EOCs). This makes sense—if more jobs are coming to Tennessee, such as nuclear energy, healthcare, and technology, which will require higher education and mathematical proficiency, maintaining high standards in foundational curriculum is critical to ensuring our students have the requisite skills and knowledge to take advantage of these opportunities.
Further, our statewide exams are a repository of data that provides some of the most compelling arguments for why business leaders should choose Tennessee, showing that our state can support a skilled, educated workforce for any industry considering locating in the state.
Tennessee’s data is outstanding—since 2021, overall math proficiency (which includes high school End-of-Course Exams) has improved by 35 percent. Algebra II, the most challenging required math course for many, has seen a 45 percent growth in proficiency over the same period.
It is no accident that Tennessee has become an increasingly popular choice for emerging industries. We are doing the work, and we have the numbers to back it up.
Whether thinking in terms of a nuclear renaissance or a second space race, as described by Senator and gubernatorial candidate Marsha Blackburn, future innovation and development in these emerging sectors will be built on a foundation of education.
Standards will be high—nuclear and aerospace industries are serious and challenging work—but our students will rise to the occasion if we continue to invest in them.
Steven Bergman serves as Assistant Director of Government Relations for Tennesseans for Student Success. The Tennessee Firefly is a project of and supported by Tennesseans for Student Success.
