Blackberry Farm announces a tuition reimbursement program for team members of Blackberry Farm, Blackberry Mountain and Blackberry Farm Brewery who are enrolled at the University of Tennessee, Maryville College or Pellissippi State Community College, adding to its diverse and unique set of team member benefits.
Participating students will receive up to $5,250 per school year to offset the cost of tuition, fees, books and other required educational costs while working at Blackberry Farm, Blackberry Mountain or Blackberry Farm Brewery. With the hospitality industry positioned to grow by 14.35%1, Blackberry Farm’s investment in and commitment to the continuing education of its team, which is proven to correlate with lower unemployment rates and higher future salaries2, will help further the mission of developing and fostering a thriving community.
“We have an incredibly talented team who are all focused on different goals, and partnering with the excellent colleges in our community on this tuition program is one of example of how we are working toward creating new pathways for our team members to pursue their passions,” says Mary Celeste Beall, Proprietor of Blackberry Farm and Blackberry Mountain.
Blackberry offers other leadership development and training programs for all team members along with cultural benefits, such as their World Travel Program, which supports team members with travel experiences anywhere in the world. In an effort to differentiate from other employers, these programs are paired with both traditional medical, retirement and dental benefits and non-traditional offerings such as dining, activity and overnight stay opportunities.
“Our team and their diverse backgrounds and experiences in life is what really makes up the unique story of Blackberry,” says Matt Alexander, President of Blackberry Farm and Blackberry Mountain. “We often say, ‘You can build a great hotel or restaurant anywhere, but it’s our incredible team that makes Blackberry special.’ With the team in mind, we are continuing to explore and create programs and environments that help Blackberry team members further their own development and write their own story,”
“We are dedicated to continuing to foster a thriving culinary and restaurant community in East Tennessee and are excited to be able to help the next generation of sommeliers, servers, managers, chefs and restaurant and hospitality professionals receive training and continue their education. The programs offered at our local University and Colleges offer a variety of timelines and levels of training to help interested students pursue a career in restaurants and hospitality, strengthening our community and helping our team members thrive,” says Andy Chabot, Vice President of Food and Beverage of Blackberry Farm and Blackberry Mountain.
The Blackberry Farm tuition reimbursement program is open to team members pursuing associates, bachelors, masters, or doctoral degrees at the University of Tennessee, Maryville College or Pellissippi State Community College as well as those pursing certification from University of Tennessee’s Culinary Program.
1 TN Dept of Labor & Workforce Dev, Div Emp Sec, LMI
2 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Employment Projections, Education Pays, 2020.”