Chris Seanard’s classroom is admittedly unusual — more of a student-run small business than a middle school art studio. His students at Dalewood Middle School in Hamilton County run a T-shirt design and manufacturing business — honing digital design skills and entrepreneurship basics. Marketing their wares to peers, faculty, sports teams and other area residents, they have sold more than $3,000 in shirts last year. “Sometimes I teach students, sometimes they teach me,” said Seanard, who runs the Volkswagen eLab, a classroom with digital fabrication tools, 3D printers, robotics, and more. “This interaction is a two-way relationship that creates a connection.”

In celebration of National Engineers Week, Volkswagen Chattanooga engineers visited several Volkswagen eLabs in schools across Hamilton County. Engineers shared their personal career journeys, spoke about the work they do and explained the many ways engineers contribute to the manufacturing process. Students in eighth to 12th grades presented projects they developed in Volkswagen eLabs using digital fabrication equipment.

Locally, Koesling says, there's the need to attract students at an early age to the idea of working at a plant such as VW's. She says the elabs, a VW-sponsored initiative that allows middle and high school students to gain access to technologies such as automated manufacturing equipment and 3D printers, teach students early on that "this is a good job."

Berke said Chattanooga has to prepare local workers for these jobs. This is a brand new production line, which will require new skill sets and knowledge. The city plans to continue investing in Chattanooga State's Volkswagen partnership and E-Labs in Hamilton County Schools. The city also has the Office of Workforce Development to make sure they can make connections for the jobs being offered.

The VW eLab and Chris Seanard of Dalewood Middle School received the Educator Innovation Award presented by the Chattanooga 2.0 Action Team. It recognized creativity and innovations in the classroom.

“This is a great example of business and government and foundations all coming together to create something, and this is about innovation. You know, it’s hard for any of us to say here’s exactly what the future is going to look like, but what they’re doing here in Hamilton county schools’ doing is helping teach kids to be innovators,” Gov. Haslam said.

Hamilton County Schools leaders, elected officials, Volkswagen representatives and community members gathered alongside Gov. Bill Haslam to launch a digital fabrication lab at Hixson Middle School on Tuesday. The lab is the 16th Volkswagen "eLab" to be built in a Hamilton County public school in the past two years. The labs are filled with tools such as 3-D printers, routers that can cut metal and wood, laser cutters and more for students to use.

Volkswagen America says the e-Lab programs are part of a one-million-dollar donation by VW Chattanooga and the state. It helps students get hands-on learning in a different environment. "This is a great example of businesses and schools coming together," Governor Haslam said. "It's hard for us to say this is what the future will look. what they're doing at Hamilton County schools is teach kids to be innovators."

Eight more Tennessee schools have been chosen to receive digital fabrication equipment as part of the Volkswagen eLabs initiative. The program provides students access to digital fabrication tools including automated manufacturing equipment, programmable microcomputers, renewable energy kits, 3D printers, laser cutters and other technologies.

Can a go-kart run off solar power? Can a water filtration system be created that does not require electricity? Can a horse use a prosthetic leg? Those aren't questions being asked by professional engineers and scientists. They are questions that have been asked — and answered — in eight Volkswagen eLabs in Hamilton County Schools.