Spartanburg Community College Works with National Partners to Develop Global Automotive Manufacturing Education Standards
June 5, 2011
SPARTANBURG, SC – June 3, 2011 – Spartanburg Community College (SCC) has become a senior member college of the Automotive Manufacturing Technical Education Collaborative (AMTEC), a National Center for Excellence in Advanced Automotive Manufacturing, funded by the National Science Foundation. AMTEC is an organization that partners with global automotive manufacturers to develop national standards for the industry’s current and future workforce. AMTEC’s global automotive manufacturer partners include BMW, Toyota, General Motors and Ford Motor Company.
SCC is AMTEC’s only community/technical college member in South Carolina and one of only 19 member community/technical colleges across the United States. The AMTEC membership was extended to SCC based on the institution’s strong relationship with BMW and the respected and well-known reputation of the College’s automotive programs across South Carolina. Additionally, SCC is one of only six colleges from across the nation chosen as an AMTEC senior partner. Institutions are selected for this prestigious senior member designation based on their industry expertise as well as participation in AMTEC initiatives.
SCC is proud to be part of the AMTEC partnership, which will have a long-term impact on the automotive and advanced manufacturing industries as well as community college curriculum across South Carolina and the nation, said Mike Forrester, SCC’s interim director of economic development and the corporate and community education division. “The outcome of this collaboration ensures that our workforce will be trained on the latest technology and that our industries remain globally competitive.”
AMTEC is a national center of excellence in advanced automotive manufacturing and is funded by the National Science Foundation as an Advance Technological Education Center. It is comprised of Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and colleges in 12 states that address the skills and competencies of the current and future workforce.
AMTEC began in Kentucky in 2005 when Toyota provided funds to determine if there was interest among automotive companies to collaborate on promoting and maintaining a globally competitive automotive manufacturing industry in the United States. Since then, AMTEC has partnered with DEKRA Akademie GmbH, which consists of automotive manufacturers, educators and the German Ministry to create a Global Automotive Technical Education Network.
AMTEC’s mission is to create and sustain an innovative, responsive and standards-based workforce development system that meets the automotive industry’s skill requirements. To do this, the group created AMTEC Academies where key stakeholders come together to:
- Define the issues facing the industry,
- Develop industry-wide standards for the workforce,
- Create a pathway model for current and future workers to receive the education they need to meet those standards, and
- Develop an assessment and implementation plan.
As a part of creating a pathway for current and future workers to receive the training to meet these new standards, AMTEC has developed curriculum for community/technical colleges and training centers to ensure students gain the necessary skills and experience employers will require.
“The new program offers modularized curriculum that allows SCC students to gain more specialized training and provide the College with more opportunities to work with industry partners,” said Jeff Hunt, SCC’s department chair of industrial and engineering technologies. “SCC’s AMTEC partnership membership is a wonderful honor for the College that in turn offers our automotive students – and students across the nation – an opportunity to learn and perfect invaluable technical skills identified by automotive manufacturing leaders from around the world.”
To learn more about AMTEC, visit www.autoworkforce.org.
Those interested in SCC’s industrial and engineering technology programs can visit the SCC website at www.sccsc.edu or contact Jeff Hunt at (864) 592-4738. For more information on non-credit customized business and industry training opportunities, contact Ty Wright in SCC’s Corporate & Community Education Division at (864) 592-4907.
Registration for SCC summer FlexStart classes and fall classes is ongoing. Individuals interested in applying to the College for summer FlexStart courses starting on June 6 and June 20 and fall semester courses starting on August 17 can apply now online at www.sccsc.edu or contact the SCC Admissions Center in Spartanburg at (864) 592-4800 or toll free (866) 591-3700. For a complete listing of summer and fall class schedule offerings, visit www.sccsc.edu/academics/search.aspx.
SCC will host an open house event on Tuesday, June 14 from 4-7 pm at the SCC central campus for interested students, parents and career seekers. This free event offers a sneak peek at how college fits into your life and is a great chance to …
- Learn about over 100 certificates, diplomas and associate degree programs, which lead to immediate, rewarding employment in high-growth, high-demand fields
- Tour our state-of-the-art laboratories and classrooms
- Find out why 91% of SCC graduates find employment and/or transfer to universities
- Talk to our dedicated faculty and staff
- Find out about financial aid, scholarships, Lottery Tuition Assistance and more.
Attendees can win door prizes, including a $500 SCC scholarship from the SCC Foundation. For more information and to register, visit www.sccsc.edu/open.
About Automotive Manufacturing Technical Education Collaborative
AMTEC is a multi-college, multi-state collaborative of community and technical colleges and industry partners working together to improve the preparation of highly skilled technicians and manufacturing engineers for successful work in automobile manufacturing. Colleges and industry partners from Kentucky, Michigan, Tennessee, Alabama, Ohio, Texas, and South Carolina are the core members of the Collaborative. The lead partner for the Collaborative is the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS). For more information visit www.autoworkforce.org.
About Spartanburg Community College
Recently named one of the fastest-growing colleges in the nation according to Community College Week, SCC offers more than 100 academic programs of study including associate degrees, diplomas and certificates, plus University Transfer opportunities to four-year colleges and universities. SCC provides flexible class scheduling including more than 100 online classes through SCCOnline, FlexStart classes, evening classes and more. Offering the lowest tuition in the region, multiple convenient locations, and regional/national accreditations, SCC offers educational opportunities leading to high-growth, high-demand jobs. The College also offers non-credit classes through the SCC Corporate & Community Education Division. For more information visit www.sccsc.edu.
