Clemson, technical colleges partner to create statewide workforce development center
October 26, 2011
CLEMSON, SC – October 26, 2011 – Clemson University and its partners will drive a statewide initiative to create a skilled workforce for South Carolina’s leading aviation and automotive industries.
In partnering with technical colleges and industry in three key regions, the collaboration will drive workforce development by providing technicians for the state’s new manufacturing industries that most need labor with specific skills.
Funded by a $2.3 million National Science Foundation (NSF) grant, the program creates the Clemson University Center for Workforce Development, a center for aviation and automotive technology education that will use virtual and distance learning.
The partnership creates NSF Advanced Technological Education (ATE) satellite resource centers at three locations to best serve South Carolina’s automotive and aviation clusters: Florence-Darlington in the Pee Dee, Greenville in the Upstate and the Charleston area of the Lowcountry.
The program brings education to a wide audience of automotive and aviation technicians through virtual classrooms and personalized learning. It uses cost-effective e-learning modules with virtual reality or similar high-level visualization and simulation tools.
Clemson University President James F. Barker said the groundbreaking initiative cements the university’s role in workforce development and heralds a new relationship with South Carolina’s technical colleges.
“As with the Graduate Automotive Technology Education (GATE) center announced last month in Greenville at the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research, this initiative shows the university is heavily invested in developing next-generation technicians and engineers for the state’s new manufacturing industries,” Barker said.
Clemson’s automotive engineering program received $1 million from the U.S. Department of Energy for a center for research and education in sustainable vehicle systems.
“We’re taking a multi-layered approach to workforce development,” Barker said. “The role of our technical college partners is a vital link that means this program will reach the widest audience possible.”
Clemson will develop the program in partnership with:
- Greenville Technical College for automotive and aviation engineering and virtual school technology;
- Florence-Darlington Technical College for distance learning, industry partnerships for technician education;
- Trident Technical College for aviation manufacturing; and
- Florence-Darlington Technical College to focus on expanding excellence in technician education.
The participants have expertise in aviation, automotive and industrial technology education; virtual reality and simulation; human/machine systems design; asynchronous learning technologies and curriculum assessment.
By engaging K-12 schools and technical colleges, this program is vital for workforce development if South Carolina is going to meet the needs of industry, said Anand K. Gramopadhye, director of the centers and chairman of Clemson’s industrial engineering department.
“Our goal is to develop more qualified technicians to work in industries that drive the nation’s economy,” he said.
The NSF’s Advanced Technological Education program prepares technicians for the modern high-technology workplace. These centers serve as the program’s flagships and work on national and regional approaches to key issues in specific technology fields.
The centers’ national and regional approaches provide practical solutions to issues that challenge educators and employers. Their programs ensure that students enter the workforce having completed degree or certificate programs that meet specific industry needs.
South Carolina’s new manufacturing industries need a trained labor force with the ability to learn and operate complex new systems, said S.C. Commerce Secretary Bobby Hitt.
“We have many smart people across South Carolina and this project will help create many more,” Hitt said. “We need to show the companies coming to South Carolina that the state is prepared.”
Workforce and economic development are critical for South Carolina to stay competitive, said John Kelly, Clemson University vice president for economic development.
If Clemson does not help provide a talent pool, these companies will struggle to innovate and be competitive in the marketplace, he said. It is vital we keep our students in-state through college and provide the jobs they seek after they graduate.
“By fostering these partnerships, Clemson can develop the workforce of the future,” Kelly said.
