Chattanooga Launches Nation’s First Quantum Pre-Apprenticeship Program
Chattanooga, Tennessee–(Newsfile Corp. – May 7, 2026) – The Chattanooga Quantum Collaborative (CQC) and BuildWithin today launched the nation’s first quantum pre-apprenticeship: a paid, 12-week program built on a nationally recognised apprenticeship framework and designed to prepare early- and mid-career professionals to lead quantum adoption inside their companies as the technology moves from research labs into commercial use.
The program runs from June 29 through September 18, 2026, and will include 10 participants in the inaugural cohort, each of whom will receive a $2,500 stipend upon completion. BuildWithin will deliver the pre-apprenticeship curriculum through its workforce technology platform. The program is supported by a research grant awarded to a leading regional research institute, which is supporting this program in partnership with CQC.
The launch arrives at an inflection point for the U.S. quantum economy. As investments accelerate and commercial systems come online, regions across the country are racing to build the workforce required to capture economic value from the technology, and to do so without the multi-year delay that slowed cloud adoption. Gartner estimated insufficient cloud skills pushed enterprise migration back by two years or more, and the same pattern is now constraining AI.
A different kind of quantum workforce
Unlike many post-secondary quantum programs aimed at physicists and Ph.D. researchers, the pre-apprenticeship is designed for working professionals with a technical baseline: IT specialists, analysts, and operations leaders across various sectors such as logistics, healthcare, energy, and technology. The program does not require advanced degrees in physics or mathematics and emphasises practical application within participants’ existing roles.
Delivered primarily online through the BuildWithin platform, the curriculum combines asynchronous coursework with live support, industry speakers, and a capstone project. Participants will progress from foundational quantum concepts to hands-on exposure with tools and content informed by leading industry and public-sector resources.
A group of Quantum Learning Guides will host rotating office hours, and each participant will be paired with a mentor to help connect coursework to real-world organisational challenges. As a capstone, participants will develop a proposed quantum use case for their current employer.
A replicable national model
The program is intentionally structured on a widely used apprenticeship framework that has trained American workers across more than 1,000 occupations for nearly a century. By anchoring quantum workforce development in that infrastructure, the partnership creates a pathway other states and regions can adopt without standing up new programs from scratch.
Chattanooga has emerged as an early hub for quantum activity, with assets including a commercially available quantum network, an on-site quantum computer coming online this month, and growing university and industry collaboration. The pre-apprenticeship adds an additional workforce layer to that ecosystem.
Applications for the inaugural Quantum Ready Cohort are now open, with participant selection in June. Apply HERE through the One Chattanooga Works platform. CQC also welcomes inquiries from those interested in serving as Quantum Learning Guides or mentors.
About the Chattanooga Quantum Collaborative (CQC)
The Chattanooga Quantum Collaborative is a nonprofit organisation aligning education, industry, and research around the region’s emerging quantum sector. By advancing partnerships and building talent pathways, CQC supports workforce readiness and long-term economic growth in the Chattanooga/Hamilton County region. Learn more at www.ChattanoogaQuantum.com.
About BuildWithin
BuildWithin is a workforce technology company building the intelligence layer for how American talent is developed, matched, and mobilised. The company operates apprenticeship programs across more than 50 approved occupations and provides AI-driven systems for skills matching and workforce mobility for employers, intermediaries, and public workforce systems nationwide. Learn more at www.BuildWithin.com.
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