Sixteen Chattanooga area high school students graduate from BASF’s TECH Academy

CHATTANOOGA, TN, July 2, 2024 — Sixteen Chattanooga area high school students graduated from BASF’s TECH Academy program which, in partnership with Chattanooga State Community College, introduces students to technical and craft careers through skills classes, workshops and industry tours.

“TECH Academy gives high school students a unique opportunity to explore a wide range of career opportunities through hands-on activities with industry professionals,” said Brittany Davis, Operations Manager at BASF’s Chattanooga site. “BASF sponsors this program in collaboration with Chattanooga State Community College in hopes that students interested in technical careers feel more prepared and empowered to pursue jobs within science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM) fields.”

TECH Academy began each day with a hands-on classroom session with experiments and demonstrations led by Chattanooga State instructors. Students then participated in afternoon field trips to local manufacturing facilities where they gained insight into different industry procedures and practices and learned about career opportunities. Students toured Komatsu American Corporation, Chickamauga Dam, Chattanooga Bakery, Branch Technology and BASF’s Chattanooga facility.

In addition to industry tours and classroom demonstrations, the students learned both soft and technical skills like welding, 3D printing, electric motor design, and more.

“BASF’s TECH Academy is so important for local students because it really opens the door for endless possibilities and helps students invest in their education and career,” said Emily Barajas, rising high school junior at the STEM School Chattanooga. “Throughout the week, I learned about various career opportunities in the technical field and was able to see firsthand what types of organizations I could work for in Chattanooga.”

TECH Academy is part of BASF’s STEAM education and workforce development efforts in North America to support industry growth and regional investment. The program is funded annually by BASF and is free for students. The application process is open to any local student going into their junior or senior year of high school interested in technical careers. Applications for the 2025 TECH Academy will open in February.

The following students completed TECH Academy 2024:

• Luke Miller, Berean Academy
• Tucker Hankins, Chattanooga School for the Arts & Sciences
• Seth Eichenberger, Homeschool
• Will Owens, Homeschool
• John King, Ooltewah High School
• Emily Barajas, STEM School Chattanooga
• JaMauri Benford, Tyner High School
• Ezra Clark, Ooltewah High School
• Elena Allison, Ooltewah High School
• Giovanny Fields, STEM School Chattanooga
• Jon Fisher, Homeschool
• Camrien King, STEM School Chattanooga
• Eric Hubbard Jr., STEM School Chattanooga
• Katherine Lowrey, STEM School Chattanooga
• Ananth Kidambi, STEM School Chattanooga
• Xoa Davis, Ridgeland High School

A gallery of images for media use may be viewed here.

For more information about BASF in Tennessee, visit http://www.basf.us/tennessee.

About BASF

BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has approximately 16,000 employees in North America and had sales of $20.5 billion in 2023. For more information about BASF’s North American operations, visit www.basf.com/us.

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Around 112,000 employees in the BASF Group contribute to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio comprises six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of €68.9 billion in 2023. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the United States. Further information at www.basf.com.