News for Your Company from Tri-County Technical College Spring 2013
From the President
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n recent months, several new industries announced they will open manufacturing facilities in our communities, creating hundreds of new jobs and increasing our tax base. A.I.D., McLaughlin Body Company, and Specialty Metal Fabricators are among those we are welcoming to the Upstate.
What’s Inside
The important role our College plays in supportDr. Ronnie L. Booth ing new and expanding industries cannot be overstated. Time and time again, industry leaders tell us we are a key factor in their decision to locate here, create new jobs, expand, or simply remain competitive. Known as Project Mustang before making a final decision to locate in Anderson County, McLaughlin Body Company took a tour of our new Industrial Technology Center in early January and were wowed by its advanced, state-of-the-art technology and real-world industrial environment. Immediately they realized we could create a pipeline of skilled workers to meet their needs.You will read more about the grand opening of the Industrial Technology Center in the other cover story in this newsletter.
Goodwill Helps Meet Workforce Needs With MSSC Classes 2 Scholars Program Is Intro to Lifelong Career Path
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Bosch Selects Students for New Scholars Program
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Crescent Students to Take Technical Classes At Anderson Campus 5
The high-skill, high-wage jobs offered by these industries and others provide great career opportunities for local citizens. With new opportunities come new challenges, which means we are working harder than ever to attract and retain students in our engineering and industrial training programs, particularly younger folks coming straight out of high school. Thanks to our great partnerships with local industry, we are making good headway. One of our strategies is to create highly visible and appealing work-based learning opportunities, including the BMW Scholars Program, the Michelin Technical Scholars Program, and the Schneider (Continued on page 6)
Rick Adkins, district director for Congressman Jeff Duncan, left, and Welding instructor Matt Woodall are seen in the new welding lab.
College Dedicates Industrial Technology Center
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n his 23 years of teaching industrial electronics classes at Tri-County, Acting Dean of the Engineering and Technology Division Doug Allen says he’s never seen as many requests for technically-skilled employees as he has in recent months. Allen, speaking at a ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony for the College’s new Industrial Technology Center (ITC), said the modern facility will help meet the growing needs of local industry.
The 43,000-square-foot ITC houses the Welding and Heating,Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) programs and was specifically designed to mimic a real-world industrial setting. It’s also being billed as a showplace by economic development prospects and local companies. “This is a milestone for us,” said President Ronnie Booth, as he compared the Pendleton facilities to the ITC located just five miles from the campus. “Students are learning to function in an industrial environment,” said Dr. Booth, adding that equipment that students train on in the ITC matches industries’ expectations of what graduates will use (Continued on page 5)