When You Have to Go Fully Online, STAT!

Few health care majors can say they completed their studies in the midst a historic global PANDEMIC quite like the graduates of 2020. They learned firsthand how authorities approach public health policy on a widespread scale by instituting social distancing guidelines and other measures to mitigate the rapid spread of COVID-19.

Piedmont Technical College (PTC) graduated 97 nursing majors in the spring and summer semesters ― a colossal achievement considering that in March, all nursing courses transitioned to online-only instruction abruptly at mid-semester.

“For those who may have had some clinical component remaining, the Board of Nursing allowed virtual simulations to fill gaps,” PTC Nursing Department Head and Instructor Miranda Gaillard explained. “Affected students have to demonstrate that they are competent in certain skills, so allowing virtual simulation for remaining clinicals has been helpful.”

PTC Health Care Dean Tara Gonce noted that the successful transition took a monumental effort of coordination and cooperation.

“In the Health Care Division, we were dealing with about 10 different accrediting bodies, all of which have different sets of guidelines, rules and regulations,” she explained. “I am amazed and so appreciative of all the faculty and program directors who contacted those entities and secured their cooperation with our change in format in a very short period of time.”

A Helping Hand

In addition to providing near-constant support for students adjusting to the sudden changes, PTC health care faculty assessed how they could help area hospitals before anticipated equipment shortages reported in other parts of the country.

“Four of our classroom ventilators went to Self Regional Healthcare,” Gonce said. “Prisma Health received our isolation equipment and PPE, including gowns, masks and gloves. We also took a count of our lab beds in case any local hospitals need to use them.”

During what arguably has been the most teachable of moments for PTC health care majors, those in the college’s Respiratory Care Program experienced their specialty in a sobering new light, as the respiratory care curriculum teaches about caring for patients with lung disorders.

“Four of our classroom ventilators went to Self Regional Healthcare. Prisma Health received our isolation equipment and PPE, including gowns, masks and gloves. We also took a count of our lab beds in case any local hospitals need to use them.”

— PTC Health Care Dean Tara Gonce

Because COVID-19 patients typically present to the hospital with serious breathing issues, the respiratory therapist (RT) is often among the first people a COVID patient sees. The RT may administer supplementary oxygen and breathing treatments or, in the worst cases, intubate the patient and connect them to a ventilator to mechanically assist their breathing.

“You can’t separate the heart from the lungs, so patients in multiple clinical areas need an RT present,” said Ann Piggott, program director for Respiratory Care at PTC. “For this reason, an RT can work in just about any part of the hospital, from the Intensive Care Unit to an inpatient floor to the Emergency Department.”

New Health Care Certifications at PTC

PTC next spring will add a Vascular Sonography Certificate to its Cardiovascular Technology offerings for the spring 2021 semester. Vascular sonography utilizes ultrasound to perform diagnostic testing on patients’ arteries and veins. It is primarily used in the diagnosis of blood clots, blockages and aneurysms.

“Our students will have the opportunity to get this add-on certificate in January,” PTC Cardiovascular Technology Instructor Laura Boone said. “The goal is to get more people cross-trained in multiple ultrasound modalities so they can be more productive for hospitals and more marketable as graduates.”

Boone noted that there are generally three subspecialties beneath the umbrella of sonography: general sonography, which involves mostly abdominal and gynecological-related ultrasound imagery; echocardiography, which focuses on ultrasound imaging of the heart; and vascular sonography, which involves ultrasound imagery to examine blood vessels. Being cross-trained — or dual-certified — allows individuals to perform duties for multiple areas within the sonography field.

“It’s all interconnected,” Boone explained. “For each ultrasound subspecialty, you are learning different anatomy, physiology, and pathology so you can recognize ‘normal’ vs ‘abnormal.’ Each patient’s case is documented with the videos, images and measurements necessary to prove what type of pathology the patient has so they can be treated accordingly.”

In addition, PTC recently consolidated a three-semester Patient Care Technician Certificate course into a single semester rewarded with four certifications: CNA, PCT, Phlebotomy and EKG. Graduates of the new program hold Certified Nurse Assistant certification and qualify to take the National Certified Patient Care Technician exam, the National Phlebotomy Technician exam and the EKG National exam.

Learn more at www.ptc.edu/academics/schools-programs/health-care.

INDUSTRY NEEDS PROMPT PTC TO CREATE TUITION-FREE CERTIFICATES

Those who may feel under-employed or want to upgrade their professional skills can take two semesters (or less) ― tuition-free ― and earn a certificate that can place them in a good, entry-level job with no waiting.

For a limited time, Piedmont Technical College (PTC) is offering an array of “Quickskills” certificates tuition-free for those who want to shake off any job-related inertia. These credentials align with current workforce needs in the region, and they are designed to get graduates to work quickly. Participants also may be eligible for a book stipend of up to $100 per semester.

“We created this opportunity in direct response to industry officials who have brought to our attention their challenges finding candidates who possess very specific skill sets to fill positions they have available right now,” said Rusty Denning, associate vice president of economic development and continuing education at PTC. “Those with Quickskills certificates can fast-track into those jobs and even build on their credentials to advance in their careers.”

PTC’s eligible, tuition-free Quickskills certificates include:

• Automation

• Business

• Computer Certifications

• CNC Operator

• Emergency Medical Technician

• Manufacturing Production Technician

• Masonry

• Phlebotomy

• Precision Metrology

• Welding

“We created this opportunity in direct response to industry officials who have brought to our attention their challenges finding candidates who possess very specific skill sets to fill positions they have available right now.”

— Rusty Denning, associate vice president of economic development and continuing education at PTC

To be eligible for tuition-free Quickskills certificates, participants must be 18 years of age. They also will need to apply to the college, complete the financial aid process and submit a short scholarship application. Those who meet the criteria for Lottery Tuition Assistance are eligible for this program.

The overall value of these Quickskills certificates approaches $2,000 each, but for a limited time, PTC is offering them tuition-free so motivated individuals can quickly upgrade their skills, qualify for in-demand jobs or embark on new career paths.

“Those who may feel they’ve reached a work skills plateau and want more can take action now, reserve their seat in a Quickskills classroom, and swiftly jumpstart their professional lives,” Denning said. “Plus, when they’re ready, participants can make the move to extend their training and apply these credits to other programs at Piedmont Tech.”

Learn more at www.ptc.edu/quickskills.

SC WINS: MORE STUDENTS CAN ATTEND COLLEGE AT NO COST FOR TUITION AND FEES

The sights and sounds of bulldozers clearing land and moving dirt have become familiar around Greenwood in recent years.

Since Teijin Carbon Fibers Inc. broke ground in 2018 on a new $600 million carbon-fiber production facility along SC Highway 246 in Greenwood County, the site has been abuzz with construction activity. When completed, the facility will employ at least 220 people, and officials hope they won’t have to go far to find skilled talent.

Members of the South Carolina General Assembly feel the same, which is why last year they passed legislation ― SC WINS ― allocating $17 million for scholarships to address specific workforce shortages, including those in advanced manufacturing. The scholarship supplements Lottery Tuition Assistance to help further reduce tuition costs for eligible students this fall.

At the end of 2019, the SC Technical College System (SCTCS) took action to double the award for SC WINS and increase the allowable award for the Lottery Tuition Assistance (LTA).

With the revised award amounts, more present and future PTC students potentially can attend college full-time ― tuition-free. The increase in SC WINS funding affects 48 of the credentials offered at PTC. The fall 2019 semester was the first in which SC WINS scholarships were available, and more than 900 PTC students are among the college’s first class of recipients.

“Any in-region current or future student who is in good standing and eligible for the scholarships most likely won’t pay anything this fall,” said Missy Perry, PTC’s director of financial aid. “It’s an unprecedented opportunity for those seeking higher education.”

SC WINS recipients now receive $100 per credit hour (increased from $50) after applying all other scholarships or grants. There is also a book allowance of up to $300 per year if a student is majoring in a critical workforce area during the semester. Student awards are limited to $2,500 in a single academic year.

In addition, the LTA award has been increased to $110 per credit hour (from $100), with no maximum credit hour limitation. This is great news for PTC students as they continue working toward their various degrees and certifications.

The SCTCS reported that 10,179 SC WINS scholarship awards were made in the Spring 2020 semester.

“This new opportunity will make getting an education more affordable for our students,” said Dr. Ray Brooks, PTC president. “SC WINS doesn’t just remove a financial barrier. It’s designed to grow the workforce in key business sectors in the state. Eligible students will pay less for tuition and build a skill set that will make them highly employable.”

Expanded Programs

The South Carolina Technical College System (SCTCS), which oversees the South Carolina Workforce Industry Needs Scholarship (SC WINS), recently added three public service programs to the list of those areas of study that are eligible for the scholarships. Made effective in the fall 2020 term, the new program areas are criminal justice, early care and education, and human services.

“We are really excited about these additions. The early care and education profession especially has experienced a workforce shortage due to departures related to the pandemic as well as educators retiring,” said PTC Early Care and Education Program Director Claudia Edwards. “This development is well-timed. Each semester I look forward to meeting new future educators. The opportunity to attend tuition-free, with the help of the SC WINS scholarship, is a powerful incentive.”

“We are really excited about these additions. The early care and education profession especially has experienced a workforce shortage due to departures related to the pandemic as well as educators retiring.”

— PTC Early Care and Education Program Director Claudia Edwards

Eligibility

Students are eligible to receive the SC WINS scholarship if they meet one of two criteria.

In one scenario, a student must be receiving LTA and majoring in an identified critical workforce area. These areas include health care, computer and information technology, advanced manufacturing and construction.

In the other scenario, a student must be receiving LTA and meet the USDA income eligibility guidelines for free and reduced-price meals.

For additional information about SC WINS, visit www.ptc.edu/win.

DUAL ENROLLMENT: THE TUITION-FREE WAY TO JUMPSTART COLLEGE PLANS

It’s not a trick question. If you could earn college credit while still in high school—tuition-free—would you? Hundreds of Piedmont Technical College’s Dual Enrollment students are doing just that.

“A new scholarship ― the SC Workforce and Industrial Needs Scholarship (SC WINS) ― created by the South Carolina General Assembly is allowing us to provide this tuition-free opportunity to students in our region,” said Kris Burris, former PTC director of Dual Enrollment. “This makes it possible for more students to pursue transferable college credit and start to develop a career plan during their junior and senior years in high school.”

The statewide program is designed to address workforce shortages. South Carolina residents taking at least 6 credit hours (generally two classes) per semester can attend classes tuition-free at their high school, on a PTC campus, or online. In addition, if students are enrolled in at least one course designated as a “critical workforce area,” they will be eligible to receive a book allowance up to $300 per academic year.

A wide variety of options are scheduled at area high schools and on PTC campuses—from classes that will transfer to four-year colleges and universities to courses designed to help students jump-start a career. High school students can check with their guidance counselor for details about offerings.

Middle College Partnerships on the Rise

Imagine having GPS for your college journey. Middle College provides a graduation pathway that’s tailored to high school students who are ready to take the wheel on their education. PTC has numerous Middle College partnerships in place or in the works.

“Middle College is kind of like Dual Enrollment on steroids because it establishes a specifically tailored path to college degree for each student,” Burris said. “We have worked with partner school districts to curate academic plans that give a strong leg-up to those students who know definitely that they want to pursue either an associate or baccalaureate degree.”

Students begin classes in their junior year and earn not only high school credit but college credit toward their degree. If they follow the curriculum, they earn at least 60 credit hours toward a full associate degree while still in high school.

The first PTC Middle College partnership was established about 10 years ago with McCormick County School District, a tremendously successful program that continues today. Last year, Laurens County School District 55 joined the group offering Middle College opportunities. Greenwood County School Districts 50, 51 and 52 and the School District of Newberry County will launch their Middle College programs in the 2020-21 school year.

“We’re excited to be able to lower costs for our Dual Enrollment students. We already have a large number of students who complete coursework through our program each year. Many even receive their associate degree at the same time as their high school diploma. This change will allow many more high school students in our region to build in-demand skills and save big on their college education.”

— Dr. Ray Brooks, Piedmont Tech President

Put Me In, Coach

Talk about a game-changer! PTC this fall introduced academic success coaching to provide personal assistance to Dual Enrollment students as they transition into the college culture, strive to conquer new challenges and meet their higher education goals. PTC’s academic success coach works one-on-one to help DE students develop important skills such as time management, planning and organization, work ethic, study skills and more.

“We are confident that our coach will make a huge difference in the Dual Enrollment experience,” Burris said, “especially in terms of setting and achieving goals, ensuring a healthy school/life balance and accessing available campus resources. Unlike academic advisors, who focus on things like choice of major and course selection, academic success coaches concentrate on personal motivation, engagement and skill-building. If it becomes evident a student is struggling academically, the coach can refer them to appropriate tutoring services. They also can put students in touch with peer mentors who can engage them through common experiences.”

Academic success coaches are trained to help students find solutions and strategies to help them perform to their best ability and reach their full potential as the youngest learners on the college campus.

Overall, the primary advantage of Dual Enrollment is that the credit students earn is transferable, which translates to huge college cost savings for families.

“We’re excited to be able to lower costs for our Dual Enrollment students,” said Dr. Ray Brooks, Piedmont Tech President. “We already have a large number of students who complete coursework through our program each year. Many even receive their associate degree at the same time as their high school diploma. This change will allow many more high school students in our region to build in-demand skills and save big on their college education.”

Learn more about Piedmont Tech’s Dual Enrollment offerings at www.ptc.edu/dual or call 864-941-8315.

Note: Tameika Wideman was named Director of Dual Enrollment after this article was completed.

Student Teachers Experience First Days in the Classroom

It was the first day of first grade for Caroline Falls. She quickly reviewed her checklist: Hand sanitizer, check. Crayons, check.

The eager 20-year-old Early Care and Education (ECE) major was truly stoked to begin her formal field experience at Hodges Elementary School on August 24. Any first-day nerves she may have harbored evaporated the moment she met her supervising teacher.

“My teacher, Kimber Burrell, is absolutely amazing,” the Abbeville resident said. “I walked into her classroom, and she could not be more welcoming. I just felt like I fit in right away!”

A cohort of PTC education majors received their field placement assignments the first week of the fall semester. The assignments often are their first real-world classroom experience. ECE Program Director Claudia Edwards helped students go over the necessary paperwork to facilitate a safe experience for all.

By necessity, the novel coronavirus has prompted significant changes to how courses are delivered.

“About half of our classes normally met face-to-face. We have converted many to an online format, including four classes this semester that have never been offered online before,” Edwards explained. “Everything is now online except for our field placement courses. We meet just once a month and are in the schools the rest of the time.”

When the pandemic caused mass institutional closures in the middle of the spring semester, it was particularly hard on those participating in field placement courses.

“When things shut down in the spring, we had to take our students out of their classrooms,” Edwards said. “They weren’t able to finish their field placement as intended. That was hard because they couldn’t even say goodbye to their students. It was so abrupt. That was difficult.”

Those students ultimately completed their teaching experience by creating videos showing them teaching family members or neighborhood children when possible.

Offering ECE courses that have never before been presented online required some creative thinking to simulate and support hands-on classroom work as well as group learning and collaborative projects.

“Our science and math concept course has always been totally hands-on,” Edwards said. “In converting to online instruction, we decided to prepare special toolkits for our students. The items in each kit support experiments that we do and materials that they would be manipulating in the classroom. They can plan lessons for us using the materials.”

During the field placement orientation, Edwards laid out in detail expectations, dress code, work ethic, lesson planning, implementation and evaluation. Each student undergoes two formal observations by a supervising teacher and PTC faculty member, according to standards set forth by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the program’s accrediting body. Edwards reminded students that they would be under robust scrutiny.

“The host teachers will evaluate you,” Edwards told the ECE class. “This is where work ethic, soft skills and professional growth will count a lot. … The teachers come to depend on you. So be dependable. … We want you to do well.”

Falls took excellent notes as Edwards spoke to the class and appears to have no issues in the work ethic department. Wasting no time on her first day in Ms. Burrell’s classroom, she already broached the topic of her case study project, because there’s no time like the present to get a head start.

How soon classrooms return to pre-pandemic “normal” remains to be seen. Some experts suggest that virtual education likely will continue in some form indefinitely.

“I think our students are pretty resilient and passionate about what they do,” Edwards said. “We would like for things to get back to normal. We really do miss the children” and there is no duplicating the pure energy children bring to a live, in-person classroom.

On her first day at Hodges Elementary, Falls immediately experienced how even the in-person classroom relationship has changed after the shut-down.

“I hate that I couldn’t actually hug the kids as they came into the classroom,” she said. “But we did air high-fives and (non-touching) fist bumps. They were telling me stories about what they did over the summer. It was a great opportunity for me to actively listen and provide positive feedback and reinforcement.”

For more information about the PTC Early Care and Education Program, visit www.ptc.edu/ecd.

‘If You Are Going to Do It, You Have Got to Love It’ Piedmont Tech Students Reflect on Their Agriculture Program Experience

A solid, hands-on education in agriculture was so important to Hampton Beard that he decided to drive nearly 300 miles ― round trip ― from Kingstree every day to attend classes at the PTC Saluda Campus and study diversified agriculture with Instructor Roger Estridge. That’s about five hours of driving a day, even though there was a program much closer to home.

“I heard about this program and how much hands-on experience you get, so I decided to come out and visit the campus in Saluda County,” Beard recalled. Estridge took him on a tour. “We hit it off right away. I knew after I talked to Roger that this is where I needed to be.”

Beard, who graduated this spring, already is an experienced farmer. He’s worked in the field for about five years, growing crops on 30 acres at first and expanding over time to 83 acres. But that’s small potatoes compared to where he plans to be next year and beyond ― growing cotton, soybeans, and corn on up to 700 acres.

“My granddad has a farm. When he said he wanted to retire,” the 20-year-old said, “I tried to change his mind. But he retired in 2013 and leased his land to a fellow who is my neighbor now.”

Undeterred, Beard gradually was able to persuade his grandfather to come out of retirement next year as his business partner.

“I am going to help my granddad take back over his 700-acre row crop farm. Me and my granddad are going to work it together,” he said. “There will be another fellow helping us, so there will be three of us to start.”

For now, Beard is working for M3 Farms in Kingstree, where he has been employed while in school. It’s a huge operation.

“Roger actually brought our class on a field trip here (at M3),” he said. “We toured a cotton gin. We went from there to the field and were picking cotton later that day. Everyone got to ride the cotton-picker. It’s a John Deere CP690. It cuts out a bunch of the harvesting labor.”

Beard says he has learned a lot in the program and has been successful precisely because of its hands-on focus. “That’s what I love about it,” he noted. “You can apply your new skills right away.”

In addition to common pests like the stink bug, which can devastate cotton plants, and the costs for equipment, Beard worries about commodity prices. The markets can be sporadic due to the weather and other economic impacts.

“When I planted cotton last year, I kept looking at the market about three to four times a day,” he said. “You have to have a committed price that you want to sell it at. Cotton has been going down. It was about a dollar a pound. Then it dipped to 61 cents per pound. I figured I could break even at 69.5 cents a pound. I usually can harvest as much as 800 pounds an acre.”

The PTC Diversified Agriculture Program this past spring included three dual enrollment students. Their hands-on activities have included building “cold houses” to grow vegetables in the winter and constructing stalls and holding pens. Beard’s classmates echoed his positive sentiments about the program.

In mid-March, Beard’s lengthy commute was eliminated because of pandemic social distancing policies. The change did not faze him.

“It wasn’t as bad as I thought,” he said. “I still would rather drive all the way to go to class than study online, but I just made it work. I could schedule the study time around my job, so I was making money and still going to school every day.”

So what’s the best thing about the farming lifestyle?

“It’s dark outside when I get up, and it’s dark outside when I go to bed,” Beard said, “but I love it. I always have. I grew up around it. If you are going to do it, you have got to love it.”

For more information about PTC’s Diversified Agriculture Program, visit www.ptc.edu/ag.

Commercial Art Experiencing a Renaissance at Piedmont Tech

Earlier this year, a syndicated newspaper cartoonist and a renowned painter delivered wisdom-filled lectures on the Greenwood campus of Piedmont Technical College (PTC). Both ― B.C./Wizard of Id comic strip artist Mason Mastroianni and award-winning fine artist John Pendarvis ― were participating in the new PTC Visiting Artist lecture series.

 The fact that widely acclaimed artists will take their valuable time to inspire a small-town college audience is reflective of the growing stature of PTC’s exemplary Commercial Art Program and its many strong connections.

 “As word gets out about the high-quality instruction, connections and outside learning opportunities available here, I believe our program is becoming a regional magnet for young people who want to pursue careers in the creative sector,” PTC Commercial Art Program Director Kendall Adams said. “Contrary to the beliefs of some, commercial art is alive and well. It has just taken on new forms. The industry has made stunning changes in a digital environment. We are equipped to prepare students for the latest in commercial art technologies.”

Adams says the program continually revamps its assignments to ensure that they are current and relevant for students in today’s work market.

“We have some of the best computers and equipment around with new resources coming in regularly,” he said. “Our students have the tools. When they leave here, they are forces to contend with. Every single one of them has risen to the top of their class quickly.”

Last year, the program installed a chapter of the international Kappa Pi Arts Honor Society. PTC was the first exclusively two-year college ever to be accepted as a member chapter in the 108-year history of the society. To gain admission to Kappa Pi, potential chapters must submit a portfolio and clearly demonstrate excellence.

“Without question, it is our students’ graphic design, photography, and creative work that won over the Kappa Pi portfolio review committee,” Adams said. “The installation was a direct reflection of their talent.”

“We have some of the best computers and equipment around with new resources coming in regularly. Our students have the tools. When they leave here, they are forces to contend with. Every single one of them has risen to the top of their class quickly.”

— Kendall Adams

While at PTC, Mastroianni visited commercial art classes and expressed that he was remarkably impressed. “Your commercial art program here just blew me away,” he gushed. “I love your school.”

With dozens of cartoon, comic book and graphic novel fans in his audience, Mastroianni offered up some great advice.

“Less is more. If you can bring the audience to a chuckle or just a moment of relatability, you have succeeded,” he said. “After I have worked out a gag, I will go back and remove as many words as possible. You don’t want to insult your audience by giving them too much information. Writing humor ― or anything really ― is about balance. Write just enough so you are not insulting their intelligence and little enough that they can fill in the gaps themselves.”

The winner of multiple Emmy Awards for animation work he did before taking over his grandfather’s comic strips, Mastroianni was candid in discussing the fits and starts of his early career.

“My first piece of advice is to fail as much as you can. I’m serious,” Mastroianni said. “Fail. If something doesn’t work, let it go.”

Of his time working in animation after a big break, Mastroianni also advised his audience to embrace every opportunity, even if it seems frivolous or a waste of time. “If somebody offers you an opportunity, something that you even have a modicum of interest in, say yes,” he said. “The answer is always yes, no matter what, even when it is hard.”

Visiting artist Pendarvis of Greenville encouraged his audience to become involved in local arts councils and get to know other artists. He urged them to be proactive and introduce themselves, because the relationships an artist builds can have unlimited potential.

“Get involved in the art community yourself,” Pendarvis said. “You will meet a lot of artists. They will give you feedback about your art. Get your name and your art out there so it can be seen.”

Adams confirms that the creative arts industry is very competitive, but opportunities are out there for those who can set themselves apart from the field.

“All our students have unique styles,” he said. “Some of the work they do is nothing short of amazing.”

Don’t Blink, or You Might Miss PTC’s Claire Manuel

Book designer, typographer and author John D. Berry famously noted: “Only when a design fails does it draw attention to itself. When it succeeds, it’s invisible.”

Piedmont Technical College (PTC) commercial art student Claire Manuel rather exemplifies that premise. The reserved yet massively talented 20-year-old is a rising rock star who is most comfortable working anonymously from behind the scenes. She’s so good, she’s practically invisible.

"Claire came to Piedmont Tech with unrecognized potential. Shy, a little withdrawn, and unassuming, she was the proverbial diamond in the rough,” said Kendall Adams, PTC commercial art program director. “With a little attention, some new skills, and a newfound level of confidence, Claire has become much more polished and professional in her general demeanor, her attitude and most certainly in her skills. She is that artist who will continue to grow and challenge her peers in art, photography and design."

Even before she graduates, Claire has added a notable client to her portfolio ― The Greenwood Promise, a last-dollar scholarship program for graduates who live primarily in Greenwood School Districts 50, 51 and 52. The organization is a happy customer and is now actively using her logo design.

“They just wanted a revamped logo, really,” Claire said. “I came up with about three or four designs that I really liked. They picked one and asked for a couple of small changes. That was it.”

Claire begins her creative process making sketches until they start to transform into a design that pleases her. “I just go with the flow, whatever my brain tells me to do,” she said. “I take into account balance, unity and movement, but I feel that the most important element is the use of emphasis. I always make sure that there is one component that draws in the viewers’ eye and makes them want to look at the rest of the design.”

“I like for my work to speak for itself. I’ve learned to have a happy balance between being reserved and being proud of my work. I am confident in my skills.”

— Claire Manuel

In addition to her course load at PTC, Claire held a Federal Work Study job in the college’s Marketing and Public Relations Department. Department Director Russell Martin said that Claire is the type of worker for whom no job is too small.

“Claire has a fantastic work ethic,” he said. “She is always willing to try something new and unfamiliar. Nothing seems to intimidate her. She’s a very can-do person.”

Claire says that, under the tutelage of the college’s Commercial Art Program, she has gained confidence and an even greater appreciation for industry professionalism. Even after being honored for academic excellence this past spring, Claire remains low-key.

“I like for my work to speak for itself,” she said. “I’ve learned to have a happy balance between being reserved and being proud of my work. I am confident in my skills.”

Learn more at www.ptc.edu/commercialart.

Futuristic O’Dell Center Open for Fall Classes

Picture it. Greenwood, 2020: An orange tabby rides atop a Roomba® cruising every 45,000 square foot of polished cement floor at the newly constructed William H. “Billy” O’Dell Upstate Center for Manufacturing Excellence. How could this imagined viral notion possibly relate to the specialized industrial technology programs housed in the facility?

All of the Piedmont Technical College (PTC) School of Industrial Technology programs, at least conceptually, play a role in the manufacture of all manner of automated vacuums now so popular with consumers and felines alike.

But that’s just the tip of this comprehensive engineering wonder.

The recently completed Center houses PTC’s expanded Welding, Mechatronics, and Machine Tool programs. Each discipline is critical in today’s advanced manufacturing environment, whether the product is a roving vacuum, industrial or surgical robot, “smart” household appliance or an automobile’s anti-lock breaking system.

Several fall-semester students got a whiff of that new-building smell when fall classes began in mid-August. The Center houses fully outfitted, high-tech labs and classrooms, as well as customizable flex space that can be easily reconfigured to serve emerging workforce development needs in partnership with area businesses.

“This facility is a marvel of industrial design with the latest, state-of-the-art equipment and minimalist layout,” said Rusty Denning, PTC associate vice president for Economic Development and Continuing Education. “It very accurately simulates the environment in today’s most progressive, advanced manufacturing plants.”

Machine Tool Technology

“A lot of people don’t realize that the machine trade is alive and thriving,” said PTC Machine Tool Technology Program Director Phillip Calhoun. “A lot of companies we work with say their older workforce is starting to reach retirement age. It’s now actually a growing trade,” with an estimated 1 in 4 U.S. machinists preparing to retire.

Even so, there are challenges to recruiting and retaining skilled machinists.

“The advancements in technology with the tooling, it’s like light speed. It’s revolutionized the machine trade,” Calhoun said. “We teach advanced methods in theory and focus our curriculum around the tooling that we have.

It is the tools that give machining its versatility because tools can be replaced or modified to perform an updated range of operations as needed.

Mechatronics

Mechatronics: ‘Knowledge to Last a Lifetime’

Using a hand-held controller, known as a “teach pendant” that somewhat resembles an artist’s palette, Andrew Tokarev deftly manipulates the robotic arm to execute his vision. The 20-year-old Piedmont Technical College (PTC) mechatronics technology student is developing skills that will transport him into a career spanning multiple mediums.

Read More

Mechatronics offers an exceeding versatile major at the skills intersection of electronics, pneumatics, hydraulics, mechanics, IT, computers and robotics. Graduates of this program emerge prepared for the modern, automated manufacturing workforce.

Occupying about one-third of the high-tech O’Dell Center, PTC’s Mechatronics Program features classrooms and workshops, including a robotics lab with brand-new ABB robots and automated systems.

All modern-day manufacturing plants and industries must be well-maintained to run at full capacity, so demand for mechatronics technicians will remain strong.

“According to the National Association of Manufacturers, more than 80% of manufacturers reported a ‘moderate to serious’ skills shortage in their workforce,” said PTC Mechatronics Technology Instructor Robert Moore, “so career opportunities are excellent for well-trained PTC graduates.”

Welding

Welding is on the rise at PTC. This fall, the college introduced a new Advanced Welding Certificate, which moves students into the workplace sooner so they can practice their craft while contemplating whether to continue to an associate degree.

“There is a shortage of qualified welders,” PTC Welding Program Director Jim Ladd said. “Employers just want welders who can do the job. The Advanced Welding Certificate demonstrates that they have received formal training, which gets their foot in the door.”

The new certificate is designed as part of a series of incremental welding credentials, with students earning a specific certificate each semester of the program. “We structure it so that, in the first semester, the students can obtain the basic welding certificate,” Ladd said. “Welding is a building process, so each credential is a step in the process.”

The brand-new O’Dell Center welding lab features 45 state-of-the-art welding booths, an industrial-grade, computer-controlled plasma cutting table and a top-of-the-line metering band saw with a built-in protractor to facilitate perfectly angled cuts.

“Our welding machines are the latest and best that are available now,” Ladd said. “Our students will be able to operate most any equipment they will see on the job site.”

Currently, more than 600 students are enrolled in Industrial and Engineering credit programs each fall term. An additional 2,000 were served last year in training delivered directly to companies in Greenwood County.

For more information about PTC’s engineering and industrial technology programs, visit www.ptc.edu.

Take a Virtual Tour