News for Your Company from Tri-County Technical College Fall 2016
From the President
Smart Start Over
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ach year we make additional progress in meeting the diverse education and training needs of youth and adults in our three-county service area, particularly in the field of manufacturing.
But the data indicate there Dr. Ronnie L. Booth still are thousands of people in Anderson, Oconee, and Pickens counties who are unemployed or underemployed who could benefit greatly from attending Tri-County. Many of these individuals believe a college education is unattainable. Often they are not sure where to start, have limited resources, and don’t understand career options and opportunities.
What’s Inside
This unmet need is the impetus for a new tuitionfree course designed specifically for under-resourced adults.
Senator Tim Scott Meets with Student Co-ops and Interns
Branded “Smart Start Over,” this STEM College and Career Readiness class introduces participants to technology-based career opportunities in the region, particularly in manufacturing. They learn 21stcentury work skills, college-readiness skills, and earn an industry-recognized certification – OSHA General Industry Standards training. Upon completion, they are ready for the next step – additional education and/or an entry-level job in a career that will lead to new opportunities. 2
IET Student Shares Story 2 Students Praise Technical Career Pathways Program
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Mandy Orzechowski Named Dean of EIT Division
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Supervisor Certification Offered In Oconee County
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The course is offered at no cost to the student, thanks to State funding from the SC General Assembly and the Duke Endowment. For our youth, the Technical Career Pathways program continues to grow and flourish. Specifically designed to increase the number of skilled technicians available for jobs in local industries, students are able to earn a College certificate in Basic Electronics or Mechatronics before graduating from high school. Students then have the option to continue their education at Tri-County and complete an associate degree within one year. If they choose not to continue, they can immediately enter the workforce with marketable skills and a college Continued on page 2
Brenda McAlister
Welding: It’s Anybody’s Job
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elding is not just for men,’ Brenda McAlister posted on her Facebook page just days after enrolling in a 15-week Welding class offered by the Corporate and Community Education (CCE) Division this fall.
Since the age of 16, the 49-year-old single parent had worked as a Weaver in textile plants – until age 43, when her job ended and she became a stay-at-home mom to her kids, who are now teenagers. She never even contemplated taking Welding classes until Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors Sherry Wright and Stephanie Whitlock showed her what high-demand jobs, like welders, are available. “I owe them a lot of gratitude. They encouraged me to try Continued on page 4
Dr. Booth
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credential. Like Smart Start Over, special funding from the S.C. General Assembly covers the cost of participation, including tuition and books.
Senator Tim Scott Meets with Student Co-ops and Interns
Manufacturers like you are building and expanding plants in the Upstate, creating more and more good-paying jobs. Smart Start Over and Technical Career Pathways are two additional strategies we have put in place to help students improve their career options while building a pipeline of qualified technicians to meet your workforce needs.
Ronnie L. Booth, Ph.D. President
Pictured from left with Senator Tim Scott (seated) are (standing, from left) Cedrick Smith, BMW scholar, Greg Skipper, Tetremer Technologies, Timothy Loudermilk, Michelin Scholar, Megan Moss, Bosch Scholar, Cole Counts, Reliable Sprinkler, Luis Andrey, BMW; and Caleb Allen, E & I Engineering; and (seated) Christina Colombo, Michelin; and Quin Magee, alumnus working at Bosch.
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enator Tim Scott was on campus October 12 to meet with current students and graduates who are participating in or benefited from work-based learning opportunities. Students reflected on how co-ops and internships complement their classroom work and make them more marketable. Senator Scott said the earn and learn experience is powerful for students and for economic development and companies building a skilled and competent workforce.
South Carolina for generations. A trained workforce is an important ingredient to our State’s success. That’s why Tri-County Technical College is so important and what you are experiencing is phenomenal,” he said. He urged the students to find a mentor. “People who succeed the most are those who are most available and willing to reinvest what they know in others like you. Take time to find a mentor. It will change your life and your trajectory,” he said.
“We must continue to provide an amazing workforce so companies are anchored in
Impact is published three times each year by the Office of the President and the Public Relations Department. Campus Contact Information P.O. Box 587, Pendleton, SC 29760 Pendleton Campus..................864-646-8361 Anderson Campus...................864-260-6700 Easley Campus............................ 864-220-8000 Oconee Campus........................ 864-886-4555 Toll-Free (864 area code).... 1-866-269-5677 TDD/Voice............................ 1-800-735-2905 Website...................................... www.tctc.edu
IET Student Shares Story
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aleb Nelson, a 2015 Easley High School graduate and an Industrial Electronics Technology major, spoke to middle and high school counselors at the annual Partnership Appreciation Breakfast held September 16. Caleb, a BMW Scholar, works in the plant’s body shop in addition to being a full-time student. “This is a once in a lifetime experience. I will graduate debt free from Tri-County in May.” For more information about the scholars program or our work-based learning opportunities, contact Cheryl Garrison, 646-1573 or cgarris3@tctc.edu.
Tri-County Technical College does not discriminate in admission or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, qualifying disability, veteran’s status, or national origin.
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Students Praise Technical Career Pathways Program
Mandy Orzechowski Named Dean of EIT Division
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andy Orzechowski has been named dean of the Engineering and Industrial Technology Division. She oversees the engineering, industrial, and welding departments at the College.
Students enrolled in the Mechatronics pathways classes at Anderson 1 and 2 Career and Technology Center pose with instructor Mark Franks, standing, far left. Pictured from left are (seated) Hunter Fowler, Palmetto High School; Phillip Murdock, Belton-Honea Path High School; Aaron Craine, Powdersville High School; and Nicholas Colombo, Wren High School; and (standing) James Morris, Wren High School; Taylor Butler, Belton-Honea Path High School; Kane Thomason, Palmetto High School; and Bryce Cotton, Powdersville High School.
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ndustry leaders are touting the Technical Career Pathways program as an answer to finding trained and competent graduates with the skills needed in advanced manufacturing and other STEM-related careers.
Mechatronics students at the Anderson 1 and 2 Career and Technology Center agree there are so many reasons it’s the smart way to prepare for a career.
At the top of the list is free tuition, compliments of the SC General Assembly, who approved funding to cover tuition and related expenses for high school students taking college courses in technical career pathways. “Free college is a big deal–you can’t beat it,” said Phillip Murdock, a senior at Belton-Honea Path High School, who is enrolled in the Mechatronics pathways classes at Anderson 1 and 2 Career and Technology Center. Hunter Fowler, a senior at Palmetto High School, said the best part is getting a head start on college. “After I graduate, I can go to Tri-County for one year, graduate with an associate degree, and get a great job.” “I can be working as a technician by age 19, and that’s a smart decision,” added Phillip. “The Technical Career Pathways (TCP) Program is the way to go—you gain college credit, as well as hands-on training,” said Nick Colombo, a senior from Wren High School, who is enrolled in the Career and Technology Center’s Mechatronics pathways classes and has taken evening, online, and summer dual enrollment classes. When Nick graduates next May from Wren at age 17, he will enter Tri-County just one semester shy of an associate degree in Mechatronics. “It has cost me nothing,” he said.
Orzechowski joined TriCounty in 2009 as an Engineering Graphics Technology instructor and was promoted to head of the Engineering Technology Department in 2014. She began her career at Carolina Circuits as a Process Engineer and was later promoted to Engineering Team Leader, Program Manager, and Project Engineer. Prior to joining the College, she taught Project Lead the Way classes to high school students at Pendleton High School and at the Career and Technology Center in Williamston. She holds B.S. and M.E. degrees in Engineering from the University of South Carolina. She is a member of the American Society of Engineering Educators, the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, and the Americana Institute of Chemical Engineers. Over the last several years, she has made presentations at state and national conferences on the subject of STEM-related educational methods and techniques.
These TCP students also will earn a credential (Technical Operator I certificate) from TriCounty before they graduate from high school.
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Welding… (Continued from page 1)
Let Us Help You Find Your Next Great Hire
something different, and Welding came up. I said that would be interesting, and they encouraged me to go for it.”
At the end of each semester, a new group of highly skilled employees enters the job market. Our graduates are in great demand by area employers, so don’t wait any longer to identify potential new hires for your company. Let our Career Services Office assist you in finding the right person to meet your employment needs.
Joining her in the class was another female, Celeste Citelli, 22, along with five males whose ages range from 19 – mid 40’s. Most are under employed or came from Voc Rehab training, like Brenda, said instructor Brian Feil.
Contact Glenn Hellenga in Career Services at 646-1585 or ghelleng@tctc.edu.
“They are interested in a field that is wide open for both men and women with jobs that offer good salaries,” he said.
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Brenda McAlister will receive a certificate of completion and two American Welding Society qualifications upon completion of the 15-week Welding class offered by the Corporate and Community Education Division.
The class combines four Welding credit classes into one for a class offered by CCE. Mig welding, blueprint reading, and metallurgy are among the topics covered, said Brian.
“The class is fast paced. They took three final exams in one night and had to turn in a drawing for their final project which was to draw and make a tool box,” he said. The skills needed for good welders include an aptitude for mathematics, problem solving, critical thinking, mechanics, and a basic understanding of electricity, said Brian, a 2013 graduate of the College’s Welding program. This is his second career; Brian is a retired Marine and used the GI bill to earn his degree. Before teaching for CCE, he worked as a Welding Supervisor for several companies and later signed on with readySC as a State Contractor. Now he is teaching this class for CCE. This group will graduate from the class with a certificate of completion, along with two American Welding Society qualifications (mig welding, heavy steel plate, and sheet metal).
Supervisor Certification Offered in Oconee County
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he Center for Workforce Excellence is bringing the popular Supervisor Certification course to Oconee County in January, 2017. This course is designed to introduce new supervisors to necessary skills for their new job, as well as hone the skills of the experienced supervisor. The program includes fifteen topics covering information and skills essential to effective supervision.
Transitioning to the Welding degree program is an option for them, Brian tells students. Brenda is already on board for spring semester classes at the Industrial Technology Center in Sandy Springs.
Topics include leadership and managerial functions, planning and organization, communication, motivation, problem solving, conflict and discipline, and working with teams. Legal requirements are stressed.
“The more I weld, the more I love it,” she said. “I completed my tool box project two days before the guys,” she said with a smile. “I think I can go somewhere with this career. I’ve accomplished a lot since I entered this class. If not for the counselors at Voc Rehab, I wouldn’t have taken this leap. It opened doors, and it opened my eyes. I am proving to myself that I can accomplish what I set out to do. I was scared the first day of class, but now I’m confident. Not once have I thought about quitting. Welding is not a man’s job; it’s anybody’s job,” said Brenda.
The course, to be held at Tri-County’s Oconee Quick Job Center in Seneca, consists of lecture, discussion, networking, and case studies. The textbook, Supervision: Concepts and Practices of Management, from Cengage Learning, is included in the course fee of $1,200 per person.
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The Supervisor Certification program begins Thursday, January 12, from 8 - 11 a.m. Class will meet every Thursday for fifteen weeks, ending on April 20. Participants who complete the course will receive a certificate and CEUs. To enroll in the class, or for more information, please contact Katie Reeves, 864-646-1728, or kreeves@ tctc.edu.