From Classroom to Career: Challenger Learning Center Powers Regional Education Transformation
Rainbow City, AL — July 22, 2025 – The Challenger Learning Center of Northeast Alabama, based in Rainbow City, is taking center stage in a sweeping new regional effort to transform workforce readiness and educational access across nine counties in Northeast Alabama.
This initiative is part of a groundbreaking collaboration led by ONE East Alabama, a newly formed regional economic development organization. In partnership with the Challenger Center and two other innovative programs—CREATE and EARTH—the initiative aims to prepare students and adults for high-tech, high-paying careers while supporting local industries and drawing new investment into the region.
STEM Innovation Starts in Rainbow City
The Challenger Learning Center, under the leadership of Dr. Farrah Hayes, offers immersive, NASA-inspired STEM education to over 40,000 students annually across 12 counties. The Center’s space-themed missions, microcredentialing in STEM fields, and strategic partnerships with higher education institutions are helping middle schoolers—and soon, students in other grades—explore real-world careers in science, technology, engineering, and math.
“Our goal is to spark curiosity and create a clear path from the classroom to the career,” said Dr. Hayes. “Through hands-on learning and early career exposure, we’re building a tech-savvy workforce that can thrive right here in Northeast Alabama.”
As part of the larger ONE East Alabama strategy, the Challenger Center is seen as a key driver in creating a competitive, homegrown workforce that keeps both talent and opportunity rooted in the region.
A Unified Approach to Regional Growth
The Rainbow City-based Challenger Center is joined in this effort by CREATE, a technical training program in Oxford, and EARTH, a rural innovation hub in Sylacauga. Together, the three programs are addressing workforce gaps by providing training in fields such as aviation, cybersecurity, robotics, agriculture, IT, and healthcare.
“This collaboration is not just about building a workforce—it’s about building a future,” said Kelley Pearce, Executive Director of ONE East Alabama. “We’re aligning education and industry so students can find meaningful work close to home, and businesses can hire the skilled talent they need to grow.”
The regional initiative spans Calhoun, Clay, Cleburne, Coosa, Etowah, Randolph, St. Clair, Tallapoosa, and Talladega counties. By uniting education, workforce development, and economic opportunity, leaders hope to drive long-term prosperity, particularly in smaller towns that have historically lacked access to robust training and resources.
About the Partners
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Challenger Learning Center of Northeast Alabama: Located in Rainbow City, the Center delivers immersive STEM missions to students across 12 counties, fostering career exploration and critical thinking.
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CREATE: Based in Oxford, CREATE provides hands-on technical training and industry credentials to high school students and adults in 17 schools across East Alabama.
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EARTH: The East Alabama Rural Innovation and Training Hub in Sylacauga is transforming a historic mill complex into a center for workforce training, entrepreneurship, and rural innovation.
For more information about this regional initiative, visit ONE East Alabama or contact the Challenger Learning Center of Northeast Alabama for details on upcoming educational programs and opportunities.
https://www.cfnea.org/challengeral
https://www.facebook.com/people/ONE-East-Alabama/61561564863217/
