The Greenville Tech Foundation has received a grant from Truist Foundation to fund a pipe rack simulator for Greenville Technical College's new Center for Welding and Automation Excellence (CWAE). The investment will provide students with additional hands-on training opportunities as they prepare for careers in welding, pipefitting, and industrial construction.
Pipe racks are structural systems used to support piping in industrial facilities such as manufacturing plants, power generation sites, and other industrial environments. The new simulator will provide students with hands-on experience working on a structure that reflects the types of projects they may encounter in the field, helping bridge the gap between classroom instruction and real-world application.
"One of the best ways we can prepare students for successful careers is by giving them opportunities to learn in environments that reflect the workplaces they'll enter after graduation," said Gina Blohm, executive director of the Greenville Tech Foundation. "We're grateful to Truist Foundation for supporting our students and helping ensure they graduate with the skills, confidence, and real-world experience that make them more competitive in today's workforce. This investment will open doors to careers that can transform lives while strengthening the skilled workforce our region depends on."
Scheduled to open in Fall 2026, the 44,000-square-foot Center for Welding and Automation Excellence will expand Greenville Technical College's capacity to prepare students for careers in welding and advanced manufacturing. The facility will feature robotic welding stations, an artificial intelligence welding lab, a robotics lab, and specialized testing environments designed to meet the evolving needs of industry.
The addition of the pipe rack simulator will further strengthen the center's hands-on curriculum by allowing students to train on a full-scale industrial system that replicates the structural steel pipe racks commonly found in manufacturing facilities, chemical plants, refineries, and power generation sites. Students will practice reading blueprints, fitting and installing pipe, welding in multiple positions, and working safely in a realistic industrial environment that closely mirrors the conditions they will encounter in the field.
"The new pipe rack simulator will provide our students with hands-on experience in a realistic industrial environment, allowing them to develop the skills and confidence employers expect from day one," said Terrance Shearn, department head of Welding Technology at Greenville Technical College. "This investment strengthens our ability to prepare graduates for successful careers in welding, pipefitting, and industrial maintenance while helping meet the workforce needs of our region."
Truist Foundation's $100,000 grant will help ensure Greenville Technical College students have access to learning experiences that align with industry needs. As demand for skilled trades professionals continues to grow, investments in advanced training equipment help prepare graduates to enter the workforce ready to contribute from day one. By equipping students with the skills employers need most, the Center for Welding and Automation Excellence is creating pathways to economic mobility through careers that offer competitive wages, long-term career advancement, and lasting financial stability for individuals and their families.
Greenville Tech Foundation, with the support of Truist Foundation, is investing in more than advanced training equipment—they are investing in people, expanding opportunities for students while helping build the skilled workforce that drives economic growth across the Upstate.
“Greenville Technical College is creating a direct path from the classroom to careers that can support families and strengthen our region,” said Jonathan Chavis, Truist market president. “By investing in practical training that meets the needs of local employers, we’re bringing Truist’s purpose to life—inspiring and building better lives and communities—while helping the Upstate develop the skilled workforce it needs to grow.”