Bosch Rexroth gift helps Greenville Technical College create Advanced Manufacturing Academy for high school seniors

Photo: Les Gardner (far left), Dr. Keith Miller (third from right) and Ann Wright (second from right) of Greenville Technical College receive a check from Christoph Kleu (second from left), Claude Bray (third from left), and Mike McCormick (far Right) of Bosch Rexroth.

Bosch Rexroth Corporation has donated $32,000 to the Greenville Tech Foundation to help the college create an Advanced Manufacturing Academy for high school seniors. A multiple course sequence will be offered during afternoon hours, allowing students pursuing either technician or engineering education after high school to gain a hands-on introduction to exciting career opportunities.  Students will also earn college credit that can be applied toward a number of degree programs at Greenville Technical College.

While many students planning manufacturing futures take the career center path in high school, those who didn’t take that path may believe that they missed the opportunity to explore this sector. The Advanced Manufacturing Academy is designed for students that did not take advantage of career center education, giving high school seniors an opportunity to spend afternoons at Greenville Technical College’s Center for Manufacturing Innovation. There, they will be introduced to CNC machining, mechatronics, welding, 3D printing, robotics, and metrology. The class applies as a technical elective for several advanced manufacturing programs at Greenville Tech and as an overview of manufacturing technologies for those planning to enroll in university engineering programs.

“This generous gift from one of our strongest advanced manufacturing partners allows us to create another on-ramp to manufacturing careers for high school seniors,” said David Clayton, executive director at the Center for Manufacturing Innovation. “Students will have the chance to experience advanced manufacturing and to understand the opportunities ahead of them on this path. We appreciate the chance to come together with Bosch Rexroth to help create the workforce of the future.”

“We appreciate Bosch Rexroth’s investment in this program for high school upperclassmen who are interested in manufacturing. The company has been a great supporter of educational opportunities for our students over the years, and this is yet another example of that commitment,” said Dr. Burke Royster, superintendent of Greenville County Schools. “Greenville County Schools is dedicated to providing students with as many experiences related to college and career pathways as possible, and we appreciate both Bosch and Greenville Technical College’s Center for Manufacturing Innovation for helping us provide another pathway for students interested in the high-paying jobs available in today’s advanced manufacturing settings.”