Trident Technical College

Dec. 4, 2021 - State scholarship to cover tuition and fees for many Trident Tech students this spring

Thanks to a new workforce training scholarship program, many Trident Technical College students will be able to take classes without paying tuition and fees this coming spring semester.

Gov. Henry McMaster announced the Workforce Scholarships for the Future pilot program in November as a way to address South Carolina’s labor shortage. The program will use $17 million in Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund money to cover tuition and fees for students who enroll in workforce training programs at the state’s 16 technical colleges. Most of Trident Tech’s associate degree, diploma and certificate programs prepare graduates to enter the workforce after program completion, so thousands of students will be eligible to receive a scholarship.

To be eligible, a student must be a South Carolina resident and either be employed or be willing to take a free financial literacy course offered by Trident Tech or provide 100 hours of volunteer service to a nonprofit or public service organization. Students must also maintain a 2.0 GPA. Eligibility is not based on income, but completion of a Free Application for Federal Student Aid is required. Workforce Scholarship funds will be applied after other state and federal financial aid is awarded.

Funding for the pilot program is available only for spring semester 2022, which begins Jan. 10 at Trident Tech. The governor has called upon the General Assembly to provide an additional $124 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to extend the program through June 30, 2024.

Dec. 1, 2021 - Trident Tech offers Industry 4.0 seminars for manufacturing employees

A partnership between Trident Technical College, the SC Council on Competitiveness (the Council), Bosch Rexroth and Fraunhofer USA has enabled the creation of two training seminars for manufacturing employees to learn, design and develop strategies to help their companies adapt to Industry 4.0 (i4.0) technologies.

Funding for the development of these courses comes from the SC Department of Commerce, via the SC Fraunhofer USA Alliance (an initiative of the Council), and Bosch Rexroth. The seminars have been developed by Fraunhofer USA and are available at Trident Technical College.

Industry 4.0, or the fourth revolution of manufacturing, refers to the use of interconnectivity, data and automation in the manufacturing process. This approach of combining IT knowledge with engineering principles results in increased efficiency and cost effectiveness to manufacturers.

“Manufacturing companies, especially small- and medium-sized organizations, face an uphill task to conceptualize, select, implement and document an i4.0 journey that will address underlying business problem statements, increase return on investment and drive competitiveness to benefit their client base,” said Dr. Marcel Schaefer, senior program manager for the Council’s SC Fraunhofer USA Alliance. “The necessary skill sets, methodologies and understanding of the key benefits of the i4.0 journey remain out of reach for most of these organizations.”

These seminars will be taught at Trident Technical College as part of the college’s workforce training opportunities and will be held at the S.C. Aeronautical Training Center on Thornley Campus in North Charleston. These course offerings are targeted to manufacturing employees and benefit any company interested in boosting efficiency and lowering operating costs.

The seminars will be offered Jan. 27-28, 2022. The cost is $795 per day. The seminar on Jan. 27 introduces participants to i4.0 technologies. The seminar on Jan. 28 navigates through challenges, best practices, success stories and solutions. After completing both seminars, participants receive a certificate of completion.

Sept. 17, 2021 - Trident Technical College holding open house for S.C. Aeronautical Training Center

Trident Technical College’s newest building, the South Carolina Aeronautical Training Center, will be open to the public for an open house on Thursday, Oct. 14, from 3-7 p.m. The S.C. Aeronautical Training Center is located on the college’s Thornley Campus, 7000 Rivers Ave., North Charleston.

At this drop-in event, visitors can tour the building to see classrooms and lab areas, including the Aeronautical Studies lab and the Advanced Manufacturing lab, as well as state-of-the-art equipment including a flight simulator, 5-axis CNC machines, robotics trainers, 3D printers and automation trainers.

Faculty members will provide information and answer questions about the programs taught in the S.C. Aeronautical Training Center, including Aeronautical Studies, Engineering and Construction, and Manufacturing and Maintenance.

Additional college departments will also be available at the open house, including those that provide vital help with college application, enrollment, registration, and financial aid and veterans assistance processes, including Recruiting, the Educational Opportunity Center, The Hub, and Financial Aid and Veterans Assistance.

For a campus map showing the location of the S.C. Aeronautical Training Center, click here.

For more information, email SCATC@tridenttech.edu or call 843.323.3501.

Aug. 30, 2021 - Trident Tech offers Industry 4.0 seminars for manufacturing employees

A partnership between Trident Technical College, the SC Council on Competitiveness (the Council), Bosch Rexroth and Fraunhofer USA has enabled the creation of two training seminars for manufacturing employees to learn, design and develop strategies to adapt to Industry 4.0 (i4.0) technologies for their companies.

Funding for the development of these courses comes from the SC Department of Commerce, via the SC Fraunhofer USA Alliance (an initiative of the Council), and Bosch Rexroth. The seminars are being developed by Fraunhofer USA and will be available at Trident Technical College starting in fall 2021.

These seminars will be taught at Trident Technical College as part of the college’s workforce training opportunities and will be held at the S.C. Aeronautical Training Center, Trident Technical College’s newest building. These course offerings are targeted to manufacturing employees and benefit any company interested in boosting efficiency and lowering operating costs.

The seminars will be offered Sept. 23-24, 2021. The cost is $795 per day. The seminar on Sept. 23 introduces participants to i4.0 technologies. The seminar on Sept. 24 navigates through challenges, best practices, success stories and solutions. After completing both seminars, participants receive a certificate of completion.

Aug. 4, 2021 - Charleston Regional Youth Apprenticeships program celebrates new class of apprentices at Signing Day

The Charleston Regional Youth Apprenticeships (CRYA) program celebrated career education with hundreds of students, business leaders, educators, funders and special guests at the Signing Day 2021 event held Thursday, July 29, at the College Center on TTC’s Thornley Campus in North Charleston.

Signing Day 2021 recognized the eighth signing class of over 70 new youth apprentices from the tricounty area, with many more still being hired for the 2021-22 academic school year. The event, sponsored by Regions Bank, began with opening remarks from TTC President Mary Thornley. It was highlighted by a panel discussion facilitated by Thornley with four current and former youth apprentices. Kevin Boyd (graduate of Academic Magnet High School), Keyshon Green (graduate of Burke High School), Keri Sheffield (graduate of Hanahan High School) and Allison Shipp (graduate of Wando High School) discussed how their apprenticeships changed their lives.

The discussion was followed by the official signing of the youth apprentices with their employers representing Automotive, Baking and Pastry, CNA/Pre-Nursing, Culinary Arts, Cybersecurity, Hotel Operations, HVAC, Industrial Mechanics, Machine Tool Technology, Networking, PLTW Engineer Technician and Welding.

Through CRYA, Trident Tech connects qualified high school students with participating employers. The employers interview and hire the students, who then begin employment while taking high school and college courses. At the completion of the apprenticeships, students will have earned a high school diploma, a TTC certificate, a journeyman credential from the U.S. Department of Labor and two years of paid work experience.

All costs associated with the program, including tuition, books and most materials for apprenticeship-related courses at Trident Technical College, are paid for while apprentices are working for a participating employer through the support of several funders. Funders include Apprenticeship Carolina/U.S. Department of Labor, Bank of America, Boeing, Charleston Engineers Joint Council, Daniel Island Rotary, Mercedes-Benz Vans, Partnership to Advance Youth Apprenticeships (PAYA), Regions Bank Foundation and Truist. Currently, there are 45 business partners who have or are interested in hiring youth apprentices for the 2021-22 academic school year.

July 29, 2021 - Fall semester at Trident Tech shaped by lessons learned during pandemic

After moving most classes online, employing new technologies and developing new teaching methodologies during the pandemic, Trident Technical College is not going back to business as usual this fall.

“Trident Tech students can anticipate a wider variety of course format offerings than ever before,” said Dr. Cathy Almquist, vice president for education at Trident Tech. “The TTC faculty are enthusiastic about employing the lessons learned during the pandemic to create the best possible learning environment while improving the accessibility and flexibility of a TTC education.”

In addition to offering traditional face-to-face classes this fall, the college has expanded its hybrid offerings, which combine traditional lecture instruction with online learning, and added additional fully online sections. The college developed two new methodologies this past year, scheduled online meetings and open labs, that will be employed again this fall. Like online courses, students in scheduled online meetings are not required to come to campus, but like traditional classes these classes meet virtually on scheduled days at specified times. Open labs allow students the opportunity to schedule times to perform hands-on lab skills.

The college has also expanded its minimester offerings, with four three-week terms available this fall. The three-week minimesters are an addition to the college’s normal seven-week and 14-week class options. Minimesters begin Aug. 23, Sept. 21, Oct. 19 and Nov. 15.

Many students will be able to attend Trident Tech tuition-free this fall. By combining different sources of financial aid, the college is offering more than 70 tuition-free programs, including the college’s new Commercial Truck Driving and Police Pre-Academy Training programs.

Summerville residents who plan to take in-person classes this fall will have the opportunity to stay closer to home with the opening of the college’s new Dorchester Campus in the Oakbrook area of Summerville. The recently opened campus on Dorchester Road features two science labs, two HVAC labs, and general education classrooms. The Dorchester Campus is Trident Tech’s fifth campus. The college has other campuses in North Charleston, Mount Pleasant, downtown Charleston and Moncks Corner.

Registration for fall semester is ongoing. Students must first submit an admission application and be accepted to the college before registering for classes. Fall semester classes begin Aug. 23. For more information visit www.tridenttech.edu.

July 28, 2021 - Bank of America renews investment in workforce development, TTC Youth Apprenticeship Program

Trident Technical College (TTC) is the recipient of a $30,000 grant from Bank of America in support of the Charleston Regional Youth Apprenticeships (CRYA) Program. The support from Bank of America provides needed funding to cover program-related costs, including tuition and course-related materials such as books, tools, uniforms and equipment, removing any financial barriers to participation and allowing more students from lower income backgrounds to take full advantage of the program.

Bank of America has been a longtime supporter of youth apprenticeships, and its ongoing investment in the future workforce has been a significant factor in the growing success of this program. The timing of the grant aligns with the announcement of this year’s Youth Apprenticeship Signing Day celebration, July 29, during which students officially become employees and begin their apprenticeships.

“Trident Technical College and the Youth Apprenticeship program are fundamentally aligned with Bank of America’s longstanding commitment to education and workforce development,” said Mark Munn, President of Bank of America Charleston and Hilton Head Island. “Partnerships and programs like this support a strong educational foundation, a diverse pipeline of skilled workers, and opportunities to earn a living wage, in order to pave the way for long-term vibrancy and sustainability of our local economy.”

Apprenticeships offer numerous benefits to students. Research indicates that as earners of dual credit coursework, these students will be more likely to graduate from high school, enroll in college, have strong college grade point averages, and progress toward college completion. Additionally, youth apprentices develop employability skills and self-confidence, are motivated by the hands-on nature of their study and work, receive valuable mentoring, and build connections to the workforce. The apprenticeship program provides an immersive employment experience and prepares students for immediate job opportunities after graduation, often with program employers.

For youth apprenticeships, TTC partners with a range of high schools (district, charter, home and private/parochial), the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce, Apprenticeship Carolina and industry partners. TTC delivers educational curriculum developed with local employers and customized to industry needs. High schools promote the program’s availability to their students, while the Chamber encourages employer engagement and Apprenticeship Carolina assists employers with registering with the US Department of Labor. Employers hire and oversee the apprentices’ on-the-job training, provide mentoring, evaluate students’ progress, and provide a scalable wage.

Jan. 14, 2021 - Truist Foundation awards $1 million grant for transportation center at Trident Tech

The Truist Foundation has awarded the Trident Technical College Foundation a $1 million grant to support the college’s effort to create the Truist Transportation and Logistics Center on the college’s Berkeley Campus in Moncks Corner.

The transportation center is a major component of the college’s multiphase plan to renovate the aging campus. With the Truist Foundation grant, college funds, $1 million provided by Berkeley County and a private donation of $100,000, the college will be able to move forward on the initial phase of the renovation project and offer commercial driver’s license training on the campus this fall. The college will continue to seek local, state and private funding to complete the full $32 million campus renovation to better serve the training needs of rapidly growing Berkeley County.

“The Truist Transportation and Logistics Center will support the workforce needs of employment sectors, including transportation and air freight providers, warehouse and distribution centers and manufacturing plants by offering CDL training and other transportation-related programs,” said Trident Technical College President Mary Thornley. “The high-tech workforce training facility will serve apprentices and adults seeking new skills and job opportunities, as well as high school graduates and others who are interested in rapid access to employment.”

Truist Market President Mark Lattanzio said the Truist Foundation is grateful to be able to take such a significant leadership role in support of the project. “This is a transformational initiative in the Lowcountry that will create jobs that will be impactful to the maritime, logistics and manufacturing sectors critical to the entire state of South Carolina,” said Lattanzio, speaking on behalf of the Truist Foundation. “Creating the training needed to fill these high-paying jobs will greatly benefit the entire distribution ecosystem and build career pathways to economic mobility among racially and ethnically diverse communities, including people who have lost jobs and do not otherwise have a platform to enter the logistics workforce. This training center will benefit regional economic development, stability of critical infrastructure and supply chain resiliency. ”

Trident Tech’s Berkeley Campus opened in 1982 when Berkeley County was much less developed. The campus is now located in one of the fastest-growing areas of the state in terms of both residential and economic development.