Workforce Focus: Building Tennessee's Early Childhood Education Pipeline In this episode of State of the Workforce, we shine a spotlight on early childhood education and the growing need for qualified teachers across Tennessee. Dr. Leslie Cowell, Dean of the College of Education at Lipscomb University, and Melanie Shinbaum from the Nashville Early Education Coalition join us to discuss the urgent demand for educators serving children ages 0-5. Dr. Cowell returns later in the episode alongside Angela Goddard of the Joe C. Davis Foundation to explore how teacher apprenticeships at Lipscomb are opening doors for aspiring educators. Finally, we believe everyone who wants to work in Tennessee should have that opportunity. Misty Vetter Parsley and Becky Sullivan from the Lipscomb IDEAL Program share how they’re preparing individuals with developmental disabilities for meaningful employment and greater independence.