Greenville Technical College (GTC) has been selected by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) to be part of the EmployED Initiative funded by General Motors (GM). GTC will participate in Cohort 1: Early Career and Technical Skills Exposure.
“Aligning community college career and technical education with industry needs in advanced manufacturing is a high priority for AACC,” said AACC President DeRionne Pollard. “We are proud to work with General Motors in building and sustaining workforce pipelines, while advancing promising practices that support both our students and our economy.”
“General Motors recognizes the urgent need for workforce development nationwide. That’s why we are investing over $1.5 million in the AACC EmployEd initiative to empower 18 community colleges with programs that create career pathways in manufacturing, IT, supply chain and logistics, automotive maintenance, and construction,” said David Massaron, GM vice president, Infrastructure and Corporate Citizenship. “GM is committed to developing the next generation of skilled professionals, advancing American manufacturing, jobs, and innovation.”
The selection means a one-year funding commitment of $60,000. With this support, GTC will launch the Greenville Future Makers on the Move project. This is a pilot outreach program designed to increase awareness of high-demand, high-wage STEM careers among students attending Berea Middle School, Lakeview Middle School, and Tanglewood Middle School.
Dr. Tameka Brown and Dean Kelvin Byrd of Greenville Technical College will lead the project, working with Greenville County Schools and building on relationships with other community partners. The project is aimed at encouraging more students to select a manufacturing career cluster on their state-required Individualized Graduation Plan and participating in GTC’s Early College Career and Technical Education offerings once they are in high school.
Career exploration activities will be offered in four areas that support major local employers: Aircraft Maintenance Technology, HVAC, Industrial Electricity, and Welding. Activities may include on-campus events showcasing these career paths, visits to middle schools with mobile demos and hands-on activities, field trips to industry, take-home and classroom resources, and summer skilled trades bootcamps.
“Manufacturers in our area continue to face a shortage of technical talent,” said Dr. Candice Lewis, vice president for learning and workforce development at Greenville Technical College. “Greenville Future Makers on the Move will demonstrate the connection between learning and future earnings, encouraging middle school participants to prepare for a high-wage, high earnings career that doesn’t require a four-year degree.”