The Tennessee College of Applied Technology Harriman is one of 24 Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology and 37 total institutions in the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) system that are located across the state,serving the citizens of Tennessee. The TBR and the Board of Trustees of the University of Tennessee System are coordinated by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC). THEC was created by the General Assembly in 1967 to achieve coordination and unity in the programs of public higher education in Tennessee.The TBR system was created by legislation enacted by the 1963 General Assembly of Tennessee, Chapter 229 of House Bill 633. Chapter 181, Senate Bill 746-House Bill 697, of the Public Act of 1983 transferred the governance of the state technical institutes and area vocational-technical schools from the State Board of Education to the Tennessee Board of Regents. The transfer became effective on July 1, 1983. By action of the Tennessee Legislature in 1994, the school name changed from Harriman State Area Vocational Technical School to Tennessee Technology Center at Harriman In 2013, the Legislature unanimously approved changing the name of the state’s technology centers to the Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology.

The Tennessee Board of Regents, the governing body for Tennessee College of Applied Technology Harriman, underwent a major shift in 2017 because of the FOCUS Act of 2016 and the appointment of a new Chancellor, Dr. Flora Tydings. The FOCUS Act seeks to ensure the state’s community Colleges and Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology are organized, supported, and empowered in efforts to increase the percentage of Tennesseans with a postsecondary credential. Largely this involved the development of local governing boards for each of the six universities thus allowing TBR a greater focus on the 13 community Colleges and 24 Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology. Additional TBR efforts under the leadership of Dr. Tydings included the retitling of the chief administrative officers of the Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology Director to President; the movement towards all 37 campuses in the TBR system operating with shared services; and, the restructuring of the TBR organization uniting the community and Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology through common offices and services.

Tennessee College of Applied Technology Harriman Campuses

In 1969, sixteen acres of land were deeded to the State. The Roane County Court committed $100,000 in construction funds. On April 14, 1969, Governor Ellington announced that a State Area Vocational-Technical School would be built in Roane County, specifically in Harriman. Construction was completed on October 1, 1970, and the first students were enrolled November 30, 1970. Classes were filled to capacity and waiting lists for enrollment were established on a first-come, first-served basis. The first student graduated in 1971 with a certificate in drafting.

Jackie Jackson served through September 1971, as the first administrator for the school. Farrell Kennedy served as Director through June 2001. Mark Powers was appointed Director July 2001 andserved through October 2008. Danice Turpin began serving as Director (now called President) November 2008. The school officially changed its name to from Tennessee Technology Center Harriman to Tennessee College of Applied Technology Harriman July 2013. In 1973, the Center was initially accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and has continued accreditation over 47 years with the Council on Occupational Education.

The Main Campus has 64,673 gross square feet with 46,000 square feet devoted to classroom and laboratory use. The remaining footage is utilized as corridors, restrooms, and storage.

The Loudon County Instructional Service Center was established in 2015.

The ThreeStar Extension Campus was established in 2020.

The Lenoir City Instructional Service Center was established in 2022