K-12 public schools, technical colleges and state universities form crucial partnership

K-12 public schools, technical colleges and state universities form crucial partnership 

 
CHARLESTON, SC – September 14, 2010 – K-12 public school officials, andpartnering technical college presidents and state university officialssign a formal agreement to work together in the promotion of engineeringand mechatronics education at 111 Executive Center Drive (SouthCarolina Technical College System office) at 11:00 am on September 9,2010.

South Carolina K-16 education partners received a Rigorous Programs ofStudy (RPOS) grant from the US Department of Education, Office ofVocational and Adult Education, to establish two pathways designed topositively impact the education of Science, Technology, Engineering andMathematics (STEM) professionals in the state. Partners in the grantinclude the South Carolina Department of Education, Office of Career andTechnology Education, South Carolina Technical Colleges, and SouthCarolina University Partners, including Colleges of Engineering. TheUniversity of South Carolina College of Engineering and Computing servesas the Project Lead the Way (PLTW) University Affiliate for the state.

Above photo: Back row left to right: Dr. Darrel W. Staat,President SC Technical College System; Dr. Jim Rex, South Carolina StateSuperintendent of Education; Dr. Anne Crook, President,Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College; Dr. Kenneth Lewis, Professor ofEngineering and Dean of the College of Science, Mathematics, Engineeringand Technology, South Carolina State University; Dr. Michael Townsend,President, Denmark Technical College; Dr. Harry J. Ploehn, Professor andInterim Dean, College of Engineering and Computing, USC; Dr. SusanWinsor, Aiken Technical College; Dr. Ronnie L. Booth, President,Tri-County Technical College; Dr. L. Ray Brooks, President, PiedmontTechnical College.

Bottom row left to right: Dr. Dennis J. Fallon, Dean of Engineering andLouis S. LeTellier Chair, The Citadel School of Engineering; HenryGiles, Executive Vice President of Spartanburg Community College; Dr.Tim Hardee, President, Central Carolina Technical College; Dr. KimMcGinnis, President, Williamsburg Technical College.
 
The education of our future workforce begins from the time a studentfirst enters school. This agreement means that our students will havethe opportunity to begin training for their future careers in highschool and gain fundamental skills for employment, said Jim Rex, statesuperintendent of education. Our goal is to give students everyopportunity for success, and I believe that the programs of Project Leadthe Way and Mechatronics do just that.

Both PLTW and Mechatronics are programs that begin in high school andstudents may take classes in which they receive dual credit (both highschool and college credit). PLTW is a nationally recognizedpre-engineering curriculum and students can continue their studies attechnical colleges as well as four public universities in the stateincluding The Citadel, Clemson University, the University of SouthCarolina and South Carolina State University. As an industrial sectoroffering, Mechatronics students can continue their studies at atechnical college or at South Carolina State University which has theonly industrial technology program in the state.  

PLTW is one of the two STEM pathways that students can choose in highschool and it focuses on engineering or engineering technology,biomechanics, manufacturing, and other applied math and science areas.

Mechatronics has only recently been recognized as a new trainingopportunity in South Carolina although it has been a widely acceptedcareer in Europe since the 1990s. Mechatronics refers to aninterdisciplinary field involving control systems, electronic systems,computers and mechanical systems that integrates product design andautomated manufacturing processes. Because industrial applications arebecoming more and more complex, industries need technicians with skillsthat cross a variety of disciplines.

“This collaboration between schools, colleges and universities is aunique one, and it marks another opportunity to promote science,technology, engineering and mathematics in our education system,” saidDr. Darrel W. Staat, president of the SC Technical College System. “Ourgoal is to work closely together to ensure that students are constantlymoving forward and attaining new knowledge and skills so that they areequipped to achieve their goals.”

The two lists below indicate technical colleges that are participatingin one or both of the programs. More information on the grant andprograms can be found at www.stempreparedsc.org.

Project Lead the Way:

Aiken Technical College
Denmark Technical College
Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College
Piedmont Technical College
Spartanburg Community College
Tri-County Technical College

Mechatronics:

Aiken Technical College
Central Carolina Technical College
Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College
Piedmont Technical College
Tri-County Technical College
Williamsburg Technical College