Midlands Technical College, Lexington School District Two sign agreement to advance students along career pathways
November 10, 2019
Students from Lexington School District Two will have an added advantage when taking courses that align with sets of career-pathway courses at Midlands Technical College (MTC). MTC President Dr. Ronald L. Rhames and Lexington Two Superintendent Dr. William B. James Jr. signed a new agreement that allows high school students to access higher education opportunities at a smoother and faster pace.
Under this agreement, MTC will award academic dual-credit or exemption credit for specified courses taken by Lexington School District Two students who are pursuing academic and/or career program pathways. These students will be able to earn their academic credentials sooner and move into high-demand careers more quickly.
“This is an outstanding opportunity for our students to save time and money in pursuit of their careers and certainly is a testament to the fine job that our instructors are doing at the Innovation Center,” Superintendent Dr. James said. “This partnership will allow Midlands Technical College to have a pipeline of advanced students who’ve already experienced instruction in their chosen fields.”
The new agreement will help Lexington Two students advance along career pathways such as engineering technologies, various aspects of business, information technology, health care, and a number of careers in the industrial and building industry.
“In the past, we concentrated a lot on helping students take general education courses, but the importance of career-driven education can’t be understated,” said Sandra Hackley, MTC Associate Vice Provost for Career Programs. “Now, we are making concerted efforts to align the career-program pathways in our area school districts with those at MTC.”
The agreement aligns technical competencies between the district and MTC, giving Lexington Two students college credit at MTC for accomplishments they have achieved in high school. For each student participating, MTC advisors will develop an individualized “road map” for each student. This road map guides them along their chosen career pathway from high school student toward becoming a professional with some of the highest levels of training and certification available. This puts them in a position to earn a great salary while filling workforce needs.
“Some of the greatest benefactors of this agreement will be our local business and industry partners,” said MTC President Dr. Ronald L. Rhames. “Midlands-area employers have a critical interest in the pipeline of new technical talent coming from the high schools, through MTC’s career pathways, and into the workforce. This partnership creates a winning situation for everyone. Students will save time and money while pursuing a great career. Local employers will see an expedited pipeline of technically trained employees.”
MTC Provost Dr. Barrie Kirk said the college looks forward to signing similar agreements with other school districts interested in helping their students move along educational pathways that will transform them into highly needed and highly paid technically trained employees.
“It’s an exciting time for MTC and Lexington School District Two,” said Kirk. “Next, we will be working on similar agreements with every school district in our area. This agreement and the successful students who will benefit from it is only a preview of what’s to come.”
Learn more about MTC’s academic degrees, certificates, and diplomas at MIDLANDSTECH.EDU.
About Midlands Techincal College
Midlands Technical College (MTC) is a non-profit, six-campus, two-year public college serving Richland, Lexington, and Fairfield counties in South Carolina. The college provides higher education opportunities that stimulate the local economy by generating a world-class workforce and enhancing the social vitality of the community. MTC enrolls approximately 28,000 students annually, making it one of the largest providers of higher education in South Carolina and one of the largest providers of transfer students to the University of South Carolina. The Corporate and Continuing Education (CCE) program is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the Southeast and provides training to hundreds of area businesses each year. Learn more at MIDLANDSTECH.EDU.
