KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — A new, interactive experience that will call Muse Knoxville’s expanded science and discovery center home will be exposing children to the science of flight and different career opportunities in East Tennessee’s aviation industry.
On Friday, Must Knoxville and the Blount Partnership, which are collaborating on the project, released new sketches of the aviation-focused experience that will be a part of Muse’s planned Sky & Beyond exhibit at its future home in the Jacob Building at Chilhowee Park.
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“Workforce development starts long before someone applies for their first job,” said Jessica Belitz, director of workforce development for the Blount Partnership. “It starts when a child has an experience that sparks curiosity or helps them imagine a future they had never considered. Our collaboration with Muse gives us an opportunity to build that awareness early and connect it to real career pathways in our region.”
While children from across East Tennessee benefit from Muse Knoxville’s exhibits and programs, Muse pointed out that since 2020, nearly 70,000 elementary students from Alcoa City Schools, Blount County Schools, Maryville City Schools and Clayton-Bradley Academy have participated in Muse field trips and STEM in the Classroom experiences at no cost to their schools or families because of Muse’s long-standing partnership with Clayton. Muse said that Jim Clayton, the founder of Clayton, and the Clayton Family Foundation have invested $25 million into the Muse Capital Project and have prioritized aviation as a focus of Muse Knoxville’s expansion.
“Children learn best when they can see, touch and explore the world around them, and aviation gives us an incredible way to bring so many STEAM concepts to life,” said Katie Mixon, Muse Vice President of Advancement. “Working with the Blount Partnership and its Aviation Workforce Committee has allowed us to learn directly from people working in and preparing students for this industry. We want children to leave Muse excited about how flight works and beginning to imagine where that curiosity could take them.”
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The exhibit at Muse Knoxville is a part of a larger effort to introduce Blount County students to aviation careers. Last year, Pellissippi State Community College launched its FAA-certified Aviation Technology program in collaboration with Blount Partnership and regional aviation partners. The first class of students in the program, which prepares airframe and powerplant maintenance technicians, will be graduating this year…