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JAMESTOWN (Oct. 12, 2026) — Loren Queener was introduced Monday as the instructor of Tennessee College of Applied Technology Oneida/Huntsville’s brand-new Telecommunications and Underground Utility Construction Technology program in Fentress County.
The new program will be offered at the Fentress County Higher Education Center in Jamestown. It joins Practical Nursing as the second program offered at TCAT’s Fentress County campus.
The six-month program consists of 648 clock hours, and combines classroom learning with hands-on training on the use of equipment used to install broadband and underground utilities such as sewer, water, and gas lines. The first class will be seated on Oct. 26.
Queener, who is himself a graduate of TCAT Oneida/Huntsville, has more than 20 years of experience in the construction industry. He is a native of Scott County but has been working in Fentress County. He and his team recently completed an interconnect project that involved the installation of fiber lines from Livingston into Kentucky, then to Allardt and into Scott County.
He said that he expects the transition from the field to the classroom to be a natural one.
“Teaching has always been my role in the construction industry,” he said. “Companies will hire me when they’re training new hires. This transition is something that I’ve always wanted to do.”
The telecommunication construction program is a new offering by TCAT, and the one in Fentress County will be the first of its kind among Tennessee’s Colleges of Applied Technology. Queener said he expects the program to attract quality students.
“It’s really exciting to me,” he said. “For years, the best underground construction workers have come from these three counties, Fentress, Scott and Morgan. This program can help the community and it can help create longevity for the industry.”
Prospective students can apply online at www.tcatoneida.edu. Those who have program-specific questions are invited to contact Queener by email, loren.queener@tcatoneida.edu. To schedule a tour of the Fentress County Higher Education Center, contact campus coordinator Belinda Payne, belinda.payne@tcatoneida.edu. As with all TCAT programs, financial aid is available to students who qualify. Contact Financial Aid Assistant Nancy Boles at (423) 663-4900 ext. 109 or nboles@tcatoneida.edu.