New $4.3 million addition coming to Covington TCAT

County Executive Jeff Huffman, who talked about the expansion at Monday night’s County Legislature meeting, said he expects the project to be completed by the fall of 2019.

He said with the expansion of St. Jude Research Hospital in Memphis, there are many jobs to be filled.

“It’s really a great thing,” Huffman said. “You could go and get a certificate for two years and start out making $52,000.”

Youlanda Jones, the TCAT director in Covington and Ripley, said proposed programs for the new building include dental technician, pharmacy technician and practical nursing.

“I’m so excited about this,” she said. “I think this will truly benefit not only this community, but the surrounding counties.”

The practical nursing program that is located in the current building would be moved to the new medical building, making room for more technical programs, Jones said.

The majority of the funding is coming from a community development block grant that will go through the Tennessee Department of Community Development to Tipton County, which will contribute about $647,000.