In March, Unum welcomed its two newest apprentices, part of a groundbreaking regional program called Apprenticeship Works.
Yet, for these new apprentices and all future ones to follow, there’s a story they need to remember.
Two years ago, Emily Daily, 29, became a pioneer and trailblazer, the first of her kind in Hamilton County, doing what’s never been done before.
In August 2023, Emily became the first formal Apprenticeship Works apprentice of the modern Hamilton County era.
“It’s probably my most esteemed title,” Emily said. “It’s my favorite thing to tell everybody in the world.”
Yet a decade ago? Her options were narrow, her horizon cloudy. No college. Little savings. All she had was a never-quit work ethic and deep drive to improve, grow and flourish.
Could she find a path to a sturdy and promising middle class?
Yes, thanks Unum, Apprenticeship Works, BuildWithin and Emily’s own resiliency and intelligence. In 2023, she was the first apprentice accepted into the Apprenticeship Works program. She was also its first graduate.
Now, she’s a software engineer at Unum, one of the region’s most esteemed corporations.
“It’s revolutionary to me,” she said, “especially from a girl who grew up in poverty, growing up thinking I’d never have anything I dreamed of because I couldn’t go to college. It seems so unreal to think about what I’m the face of.”
Apprenticeship Works is a federally-funded, locally-implemented program supported by Hamilton County and Chattanooga governments, businesses and foundations. Partnering with local businesses, it offers some two dozen apprenticeship options – boilermakers, electricians, data analysts, start-up leaders, AI Prompt engineers – for local adult applicants. The program was originally launched with support from Build Within, the national apprenticeship program.
“I will always be grateful for the opportunities that BuildWithin and Apprenticeship Works have provided me to be able to share my story all over the country and also to Unum and everyone that took a chance on apprenticeships and everyone who took a chance on me,” Emily said.
In 2014, Emily was a senior at Ridgeland High beginning to realize college was financially unattainable. Not enough scholarships came her way, so, upon graduation, she did what she’d been doing since 14: work.
“That was my only goal,” she said. “Focus on trying to make money and maybe one day afford college.”
She worked the back drive thru at McDonald’s, then, in 2018: a chance.
“After hustling and grinding and working a lot, I was able to afford to go to a small technical college,” she said.
She earned a certification as an esthetician, which led her into the film and TV industry: special effects and make-up.
“I said yes to anything that would give me another opportunity to make a life for myself,” she said. “I just took it. “
It worked until it didn’t. The industry was “cut-throat.” Twenty-hour days, sleeping in your car, no money for travel or lodging. The American Dream writ large, or small, in Chattanooga. How could Emily find the resources, avenues and opportunities to build a middle class?
She hustles, works hard then harder, on-time is early, always asks questions, works after hours. But without a college degree, how far could she go?
A temp agency job landed her at Cigna as an eligibility specialist. It was her first foot in the corporate world. The temp job ended, but she didn’t: Unum, impressed by her work, offered a job in group long-term care.
There at Unum, she fell in love with a new career.
“Coding,” she said, enrolling in free online courses at Harvard Univ., then Colombia. “I wanted to learn more.”
She worked her way up to the highest level offered in her department. Then, Unum did something very brave.
In 2023, Hamilton County and Chattanooga governments co-launched Apprenticeship Works, after the Scenic City was named one of US cities to receive federal funding and Build Within support.
“The key for us is to identify potential over credential so people with talent and drive won’t be frozen out of the ‘new collar’ economy just because they do not have a college degree. If we are successful, the entire local economy will benefit,” Walton Robinson, executive director, said last year.
Unum raised its hand. We’ll go first.
Then, some encouragement from her mom, Regina Pittman, who sent Emily the application and said: go for it.
“I applied,” said Emily. “I got the apprenticeship. This was the very first apprenticeship program.”
Today, she is a software engineer at Unum. The sky’s the limit. Emily’s a core part of the corporate world, working a job she loves. It’s all wrapped up in so much gratitude. She’s looking ahead, but also behind her, knowing more folks will have more opportunities because of Apprenticeship Works.
“Not only as someone native to this area, but also a woman, and also a grown adult who decided not to go the traditional route and go to college,” she said, “and is now spearheading and becoming the face of something that can change people’s lives? Truly, it is something I can’t put into words. Something I always wanted to do.”
Finally, as a software engineer, what’s the secret?
“The ability to problem-solve,” she said. “The ability to always be ready to learn and learn quickly. The ability to take good criticism because you’re going to need it. No matter how much you think you know in this world, there’s always someone who knows more and someone who can teach you. As long as you’re on your feet ready to learn, ready to be a problem-solver and excited for this job, you’ll succeed.”
Spoken like a true pioneer.
