September is Workforce Development Month, a time to celebrate the dignity of work and the programs that empower our neighbors to succeed.
Across Middle Tennessee, our economic story is one of undeniable growth. Cranes shape the skyline, corporations relocate here daily and job openings abound in nearly every sector. Yet beneath this surface of prosperity lies a quiet, human gap that demands our collective attention.
Low unemployment masks a deeper workforce challenge
When examining mid-2026 data from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, a complex picture emerges. While our statewide unemployment rate hovers at historic lows between 3.2% and 4.0%, our labor force participation rate stood at just 59.6% this past June. That means roughly four out of every ten working-age Tennesseans
are sitting on the sidelines of a booming economy.
In my years leading workforce initiatives, one truth has become crystal clear: people rarely remain out of the workforce by choice. They are sitting out because they face locked doors. Hard-working people come to Goodwill Middle Tennessee every day facing challenges like soaring child care costs, unreliable transportation, a past record within the justice system or a lack of specialized technical skills – barriers that can make it harder to find a good job, build a career and create a better and brighter future for themselves and their families.
Opportunity grows when barriers come down
If we want to unlock that potential, our approach to workforce development must evolve. Tapping into the transformative power of work requires three fundamental commitments: opening the door, building the path and creating the future together as a community.
Opening the door means addressing the real-life obstacles that keep people from entering the talent pipeline. We cannot simply post job openings and expect individuals facing compounding life obstacles to navigate their way through. True workforce development begins by bringing essential support – career navigation, transit solutions, adult education and accessible child care – together in one unified, human-centered environment. When we remove the everyday hurdles between a person and their potential, opportunity becomes accessible.
A career pathway matters as much as a job
Once the door is open, it’s imperative to build a clear, personalized path. A job is much more than a paycheck. Purposeful employment provides dignity, self-worth and a sense of belonging. But securing a job is only the beginning of the journey.
Effective workforce development meets people where they are, offering customized tracks that include education, training and, ultimately, employment. When individuals earn industry-recognized credentials in high-demand fields like health care, construction, welding or IT, they don't just secure immediate work. They build a foundation for lifelong economic mobility. There are countless success stories at Goodwill Middle Tennessee of inspired, ambitious people who simply needed someone to walk with them and help them navigate a path toward success.
Employers must help close the labor gap
Finally, to create the future Middle Tennessee deserves, workforce development must be treated as a shared civic responsibility. Government agencies and nonprofit organizations cannot bridge this labor gap in isolation. It requires regional business leaders willing to look beyond traditional resumes and automated hiring algorithms.
When employers embrace second-chance hiring, offer on-the-job upskilling and co-design training pipelines that reflect actual industry needs, the results are extraordinary. Businesses gain loyal, highly motivated talent, and families break generational cycles of economic instability.
The true prosperity of Middle Tennessee shouldn't be measured solely by the headquarters we attract or the skyscrapers we erect, but by the pathways we create for those who wish to contribute.
This Workforce Development Month, let’s commit to looking past old assumptions, removing the real-life obstacles holding our neighbors back and ensuring every Tennessean has the opportunity to experience the dignity, purpose and transformative power of work.
Matthew Bourlakas is the president and CEO of Goodwill Middle Tennessee.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Middle Tennessee's labor gap won't close until barriers do | Opinion
