What’s Right With Our Schools: Blue Horizon

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee and Chattanooga State have launched a new program to help with workforce development in the region. We are learning more about how Blue Horizon is strengthening the local workforce. This is what makes a great What’s Right With Our Schools.

“We are doing a signing day for our Blue Verizon program. The Blue Horizon program is an education to career partnership between Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee and Chattanooga State community college,” Shunyale Douglas, Principle Recruiter, Blue Horizon said.

Douglas continues, “The design for the program targets, Chattanooga area, high school students or graduates and also adult learners. And so we go to the schools the high schools in the fall, we recruit the high school students. I will be recruiting for adult learners this summer. They apply for the program and then while they are a student at Chattanooga State and also customer service training at Blue Cross.”

“I was brought up to know the difference between a career and a job. I never thought I would have a career fresh out of high school and to put in perspective a little bit between graduation and starting is three weeks. I only have three weeks to have a summer and I’m not upset about that cause this is a career. I will be making a salary. I will have health insurance. I will have a 401(k). It’s just I never thought I would have this at 18,” Janiyah Walker, Senior, Red Bank High School, said.

“Some schools, some children or some student students don’t necessarily want to go to college. And so this program is going to help students as well as adults tackle some of those things like cost in time, right. So I know that I once when I was a student that was one thing that I worried about was cost and time. So this program is gonna alleviate that,” Douglas says.

Douglas says, “So you’ll be able to come to school, earn your degree but also earn a paycheck and living with Blue Cross. And so this is why it is so special for some of those students that may not otherwise have the funds or have the means to attend college.”

Walker says, “I am here. I have a career. I have a meaningful job and I’m doing wonderful things for my family already. So if you feel like you’re discouraged, or you are somewhere where you can’t be helped, I promise you can be helped in someone will help you. All you have to do is ask.”

Douglas says, “So this program is a program for anybody that is just starting out straight out of high school also those adults who want a faster path into the workforce while also earning a degree. You’re gonna receive classroom time you’re gonna receive mentorship also academic support. So every angle that you turn, you’re gonna have support in this program. And it’s a fast track into the workforce. You will be working for a well-known company Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee. But also a well-known trusted institution here Chattanooga State Community College. So why not?”