Digital Factory

REDI is an acronym for Regional Economic Development Initiative and it is a program of Southwest Tennessee Development District. In the works for more than a year, the opening of the Parsons Digital Factory (DF) moves the promised training program from a hope-filled plan of the REDI advisory committee into a tangible reality for citizens in Decatur County.

The City of Parsons has provided the building for the Digital Factory training site; financing for the purchase of furnishings, equipment, and other on-going resources – such as utilities – necessary to get the center fully operational was acquired through a Rural Technical Assistance Grant (RTAG). REDI is administering the grant and providing additional assistance as needed to Parsons’ Digital Factory director, Shane Bridges. REDI leaders are seeking other grant sources so that additional Digital Factories can be created, with the ultimate goal of having a Digital Factory in each REDI county.



Simply said, a Digital Factory a is co-working center that provides office space, a shared broadband connection, a conference room, and training/work rooms to connect candidates, remote employers and online training courses. The concept focuses on the online economy and features a social business model. The Parsons Campus’ inaugural class has been selected and includes 10 individuals from all walks of life—from a displaced 30-year factory worker to a former Best Buy Geek Squad member; from the underemployed to the unemployed; from a recent high school graduate looking for a way to fund college to a father trying to provide financial support for his family.



We have a diverse group of candidates and they have the potential to become a great team, said Shane Bridges, Digital Factory Director. Choosing these ten was a difficult task. We had 45 applicants with only minimal advertising. I conducted 30 interviews and had many viable candidates. I think this illustrates how badly this program is needed. The Digital Factory will leverage existing Career Center training and newer, online training opportunities in the Customer Service Representative industry. The result for participants is an industry-accepted outcome – which is essential for competing in the online job market. Job placement opportunities have been identified and DF candidates will be trained to fit actual employment needs.



The DF candidates will complete the online training provided by the center. The DF network will train and place new and displaced workers into good paying jobs that can be performed over the internet by matching them with opportunities in the online job market. The REDI Digital Factory will also serve as a place where entrepreneurial ideas can be launched.



Unlike an industrial project, the Digital Factory will enable us to choose a qualified candidate, get them trained and match them with a job within a one-month time period, says Lisa Hankins, REDI director. It is our expectation that a Digital Factory placed in a rural community will spark hope and jump start job creation without requiring the community to construct a building or invest in additional infrastructure.



“We hope to bring in and train ten candidates every month,” said Bridges. “Applications can be picked up at the Municipa Building in Parsons, or at the Digital Factory itself, at the old Parsons Airport. We're always hiring!”

Southwest Tennessee Development District’s REDI program seeks to impact the regional economy and local job creation through training and technology at its Digital Factories and through its College Access Program. The REDI Program is a four-pronged approach to economic development; its components are Entrepreneurship, Education/Workforce Development, Technology and Capacity Building.

For more information, about the REDI Digital Factories in general, contact Lisa Hankins at 731.668.6450, email lhankins@swtdd.org or visit www.reditn.com. For more information about the Digital Factory in Parsons or to apply as a candidate, contact Shane Bridges at digitalfactory@cityofparsons.com or call 731.257.1200. Click here to download an application.