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 ― though not painting or sculpture ― that comprise electronic, mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic, and other engineering systems to maximize manufacturing quality and productivity.

While attending classes at PTC, Tokarev is working part-time in a maintenance technician apprenticeship with ZF Transmissions, a high-tech manufacturing facility in Gray Court. He entered the apprenticeship straight out of high school and has never looked back.

“I didn’t really know what I wanted to do for the longest time,” said Tokarev. “I helped my dad work on cars every now and then, and that was a huge influence. I like to work with my hands and find out how things work, especially when it comes to the electrical and mechanical aspects of things.”

Tokarev appreciates the wide range of disciplines that converge in the mechatronics field and the troubleshooting involved in diagnosing and solving problems. The versatility supported by the skill set virtually ensures a program graduate will be immediately employable in advanced manufacturing.

“Mechatronics can be found pretty much everywhere, even in the home,” he said. “The knowledge that I gain can be used throughout my life. It’s pretty cool.”

Tokarev is pleased with the education he is receiving from PTC, noting that his instructors not only teach you what you should know but show you how to apply it. He definitely feels he is on a career track that will continue to stimulate and capture his imagination, and ZF is an ideal training ground and perhaps a place to nurture a more lasting career relationship.

“Working at ZF has been good,” he said. “The way the program is set up, it’s a three-year commitment. We do a different thing each year. This year I am going through different maintenance subgroups. So far, from what I have seen, I enjoy the company and the people.”

Taking the Transfer

Agreement Creates a Bridge with Anderson University

The presidents of Piedmont Technical College (PTC) and Anderson University (AU) signed a transfer agreement that will provide prospective transfer students who meet eligibility requirements a seamless transition from PTC to AU and its nine colleges and schools supporting 36 baccalaureate degree programs. The agreement became effective upon its signing.

“This agreement represents an incredible opportunity for college students in our region,” said Dr. Evans P. Whitaker, president of Anderson University. “We are so appreciative of our friends at Piedmont Technical College, and we look forward to welcoming their students into the AU family.”

The agreement, which includes acceptance of transfer credits from PTC associate in arts and associate in science degree programs, establishes articulation pathways for PTC students seeking the following degrees:

• Bachelor of Business Administration

  • Accounting Concentration

  • Business Administration Concentration

  • Supply Chain Management

• Bachelor of Arts – Criminal Justice

• Bachelor of Arts – Homeland Security and Emergency Service

• Bachelor of Arts – Homeland Security and Emergency Service – Emergency Services Management

• Bachelor of Early Childhood Education

• Bachelor of Human Services
  
  

  • Human Services Concentration

  • Gerontology Concentration

  • Behavioral Health Concentration

  • Health Care and Human Services Management Concentration

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing

“This agreement represents an incredible opportunity for college students in our region. We are so appreciative of our friends at Piedmont Technical College, and we look forward to welcoming their students into the AU family.”

— Dr. Evans P. Whitaker, president of Anderson University

 “As a technical college, Piedmont Tech serves as an academic way station from which our students graduate and either go directly into the workforce or continue their educational journey at a four-year university,” said Dr. Jack Bagwell, vice president for academic affairs at PTC. “It is our responsibility to ensure that our transfer students have solid bridges to first-rate institutions where they can fully realize their dreams. We are extremely proud to add Anderson University to this vital infrastructure and look forward to sharing with our students the tremendous opportunities available at AU.”

PTC students who meet transfer requirements will be guaranteed admission to AU and be eligible for available merit and/or transfer scholarships. They also will enjoy access to the university’s library and Trojan athletic events, just as any other AU student would. AU also will waive the admissions application fee for students transferring from PTC.

“We are excited to implement this agreement enabling students who would like to attend AU to transition from ‘Tech to Trojan’ with ease,” Bagwell said. “Anderson University is exceedingly well-equipped to take them to the happy completion of their academic journey.”

The Transfer Guarantee

Several programs at PTC are designed with transferability in mind. University Transfer coursework is drawn from the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education’s list of 86 courses approved to transfer to all two- and four-year public institutions in South Carolina.

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Overwhelmingly, students tell us the No. 1 appeal of these programs is the cost savings because starting post-secondary education at a community or technical college and finishing at a university can save a student thousands of dollars on tuition toward a bachelor’s degree.

A close second is convenience, because students can stay home and take introductory university courses locally for the first two years, saving on housing and/or commuting expense. In cases where PTC has a formal articulation agreement with a partner institution, some upper-level university courses can be taken at PTC, negating the need to commute to the baccalaureate-granting institution and find housing there. Other benefits available in a select number of transfer agreements include personalized case management and advising as well as access to university amenities, campus life and clubs.

How the Process Works

Dr. Brad Griggs, PTC dean of arts and sciences, says that it’s difficult to nail down a hard number but, as a very conservative estimate, about 12 percent of the college’s student body are on a transfer pathway. That figure does not include dual-enrolled students or applied majors.

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“Baccalaureate-seeking transfer students at PTC enjoy the ability to start college in a setting that typically features smaller classes. Oftentimes, our faculty are more approachable than in a university setting that may have lecture halls packed with hundreds of people. Our largest classes have maybe 60, and most have 30 or less,” Dr. Griggs said. “It gives students the ability to save a tremendous amount of money before they transfer. They can take 60 hours with us and pay a fraction of what it would Bachelor’s, and Beyond cost at their destination university.”

More than 80 courses taught at PTC are approved for transfer to any public university or college in South Carolina. That covers a lot of the initial prerequisite coursework for a baccalaureate degree.

“The process may go more smoothly if a student is in a bridge program, but not all bridge programs are created the same,” Griggs said. “Ultimately, it’s the faculty advisor and the student and the senior institution’s advisors working together to select courses. There is a tremendous advising component to the process. In general, the students who are working with their advisors do have a seamless transfer.”

Job-Ready. Guaranteed.

In May 2019, Piedmont Technical College implemented its new “Job-Ready Guarantee,” which pledges that graduates will enter the workforce fully able to perform job-related skills learned as a part of their programs of study.

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The Job-Ready Guarantee represents our commitment to the quality of our technical education programs. It assures employers that graduates of its associate degree programs and completers of credit-bearing diploma programs and technical certificates have the knowledge and skill sets needed to successfully perform today’s job functions.

“It is critical to me personally to ensure that Piedmont Technical College stands behind the quality of the education we provide, and it’s critical for our students to know that what they’re learning is directly tied to the needs of employers,” PTC President Dr. L. Ray Brooks said. “Many of our students are deferring income or taking time away from family to attend. This guarantee is our promise to students that pursuing a college education is worth it.”

Effective for one full year after a student’s graduation date, the Job-Ready Guarantee covers retraining at no cost to the graduate or employer if graduates are not able to demonstrate specified competencies detailed in the outcomes and course objectives for their completed programs. A claim against the guarantee may be filed by an employer in conjunction with a graduate. For those filing a claim, following eligibility verification, a retraining plan will be established in coordination with the student, employer, and the college.

“It is critical to me personally to ensure that Piedmont Technical College stands behind the quality of the education we provide, and it’s critical for our students to know that what they’re learning is directly tied to the needs of employers.”

— PTC President Dr. L. Ray Brooks

“For those graduates where deficiencies are identified, we will retrain them up to the standard identified in each program. These graduates will not need to re-enroll or pay any additional tuition,” Brooks said.

The Job-Ready Guarantee demonstrates the college’s longstanding commitment to providing students in technical programs with the right training for today’s jobs. This way, students can be confident they can enter the workforce with the right skill set to succeed on the job from day one.

“I have no reservations about implementing this new policy,” Brooks said. “This guarantee is our PTC ‘Mark of Excellence.’”

For more information about the PTC Job-Ready Guarantee, please visit www.ptc.edu/guarantee.

Breaking New Ground

Harry Truman astutely observed that a man can accomplish a lot if he doesn’t care who gets the credit. The same can be said of the late Sen. Billy O’Dell. During his nearly 28 years of public service, O’Dell was a staunch advocate for technical education and, particularly, for Piedmont Technical College (PTC). He did not broadcast his advocacy but quietly made it a consistent practice. It is appropriate, therefore, that PTC name its planned state-of-the-art advanced manufacturing facility the William H “Billy” O’Dell Upstate Center for Manufacturing Excellence.

Approximately 100 citizens, educators, public servants and other dignitaries turned out to witness a groundbreaking ceremony for the O’Dell Center. The O’Dell Center was made possible through the generosity and goodwill of Greenwood County voters, who passed a penny sales tax for capital projects, a $1.5 million federal grant and funds raised via the PTC Foundation.

The Moss Family also did a lot to make the new facility possible. Ms. Elizabeth Moss, a longtime supporter of the college, donated the property across the street to the college, and the O’Dell Center will be the first building on the site.

“My father came from a manufacturing background and so did his father,” said O’Dell’s son, Chip O’Dell. “We were just overwhelmed and honored that his name would be on the building, especially because it is a manufacturing and teaching facility.” The O’Dell family’s roots in manufacturing grow deep.

Established more than 60 years ago in Ware Shoals, the O’Dell Corporation has grown into a leading manufacturer of cleaning products. Over the years, the company has welcomed and even hired its apprentices from PTC.

“This facility — the O’Dell Center — will serve as a valuable magnet to attract further investment in the region,” PTC President Dr. Ray Brooks said. “Advanced manufacturing enterprises will locate where they know they can hire qualified people trained in the specific skills needed to advance their missions.”

The 45,000-square-foot O’Dell Center will provide additional state-of-the-art classroom and lab space to serve industrial programs such as machine tool technology, mechatronics and welding.

Chris Stone, an architect with the center’s design firm LS3P Associates, explained that the facility will be visually sleek and contemporary, consistent with the look of PTC’s Newberry Campus, which the firm also designed.

“The goal is to create a custom, state-of-the-art technology training facility that has flexibility for future growth,” he said. “The building can be updated and altered to fit its new needs.”

The center will employ Green Globe standards of environmental sustainability, including the use of 100 percent recyclable metal component siding and shaded glass to support energy efficiency.

“We are breaking ground on a deeper partnership between our region’s economic development efforts, the college, and our partners in industry,” said Brooks.

Currently, more than 600 students are enrolled in Industrial and Engineering credit programs each fall term. An additional 2,000 were served--last year alone--in training delivered directly to companies in Greenwood County. The new building will incorporate the latest technology to support the region's workforce development needs, and will provide the college with much needed flexibility to scale up when new companies decide to locate in the region.

“We are breaking ground on a deeper partnership between our region’s economic development efforts, the college, and our partners in industry.”

— Dr. Ray Brooks, PTC President

“Together with the hard work of the college’s staff, our legislative delegation and our community partners, today we are taking a concrete step toward the construction of this new facility,” said George Piersol, PTC Area Commission Chair. “The O’Dell Center will be more than just a building. It will be a place where our citizens can learn the skills they need to create a better life for themselves and their families.”

Chip O’Dell described his father as “old school.” His handshake was his promise.

“I think he was called to serve. Every four years, he would sign up and run again,” O’Dell said. “His motto, even from when I was in military school, was ‘stand tall.’ Back when we didn’t have the internet, he wrote me letters. He would say: ‘Remember who you are. Be honorable. Do the right thing. Treat people fairly. Stand tall” — just like the regal stature of the building that will bear his name.

Making Progress

Construction is gradually taking shape on the site of the forthcoming William H. “Billy” O’Dell Upstate Center for Manufacturing Excellence on the Piedmont Technical College (PTC) Lex Walters Campus-Greenwood.

“Right now we are in the process of putting up exterior walls,” said Chad Teague, PTC director of facilities management. Before that could commence, a tremendous amount of dirt had to be moved to fill in a ravine/low spot. “It would have required 5,000 truckloads of (purchased) dirt, but we were able to get the dirt from our own property and save significantly.”

Situated on land generously donated by the family of Edward and Elizabeth Moss, the $14.8 million O’Dell Center will provide a modernized training space for advanced manufacturing programs such as machine tool technology, mechatronics and welding. The Center’s 45,500 square feet on South Emerald Road will house state-of-the-art classrooms and laboratories as well as flexible space to serve emerging workforce development needs.

M.B. Kahn won the yearlong construction contract in April. Teague hesitated to speculate on a formal opening date for the Center.

“We still have change orders, equipment orders and installations ahead of us. Anything can happen,” Teague said, adding that fall of 2020 is a possibility for full completion and occupancy. “We are more realistically thinking full operations in the spring of 2021.”

Join the Persistence

Just as a distance runner is responsible for consistently training and maintaining a level of readiness to complete the long race, colleges must continually train and best themselves to maintain their exceptional readiness to support students as they cover the distance ― daunting hills and inclement weather included ― to completing their education.

Commitment to Completion

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A college’s culture and policies can make or break a student’s on-time graduation prospects. In a two-year college environment where we are fortunate to witness 70 percent of the student body attending tuition-free, lack of tuition money should be a pretty weak reason for quitting at Piedmont Tech. But we all know that life happens, and it’s critical to explore institutional strategies for our students who face barriers that may be unrelated to money alone.

At Piedmont Tech, our investment in our students must mirror their investment in us. If they don’t finish what they start, that’s largely on us. For this reason, we biannually review and update our strategic plan and ensure that it takes into consideration empowerment of students to overcome or eliminate barriers to completion.

The 2019-21 Piedmont Technical College Strategic Plan addresses five broad tactical areas essential to college success: access to quality programs; effective academic and student support services, student and employee success; continuous improvement; community, workforce and economic development; and institutional sustainability and growth. The plan’s focus is on student success and student development from enrollment to graduation.

The plan begins with the goal of transforming lives by: creating and nurturing a culture of completion that helps students envision their goals; creating college-wide structures to better facilitate academic goal-setting and planning; refining services to ensure students have access to the support they need; offering a robust student-life program, and integrating student support and engagement opportunities into the learning experience.

The next component involves expanding student success by: developing a college-wide strategic enrollment plan; improving the effectiveness of recruiting and student intake; more clearly communicating the flexibility and return on investment available at PTC; and strengthening partnerships with regional employers, school districts and community groups to build a stronger pipeline from our programs into the workplace.

“At Piedmont Tech, our investment in our students must mirror their investment in us. If they don’t finish what they start, that’s largely on us.”

We believe in the pass-along value to students of supporting our people by promoting a collaborative culture for employees as well as substantial professional development opportunities. Strategies to accomplish that include: effectively leveraging HR processes to attract a diverse workforce; creating a Diversity Team to promote cultural understanding and sensitivity; offering comprehensive, value-added services and programs for employees; promoting holistic wellness across the work environment; providing strategically aligned professional development and learning opportunities for faculty and staff. The impact of a happy, empowered college workforce is immeasurable when it comes to innovating and inspiring in the classroom.

Another principle that anchors our strategic plan is our commitment to embracing continuous improvement. Using the most up-to-date data and assessment results available, our leadership works to make well-informed decisions regarding the continuous improvement of the college’s financial and physical resources. That includes implementing well-researched systems to make progression to completion as seamless and streamlined as possible and using proven lean tools to continually improve all operations. When our students see these improvements, like that water table on mile 6, help fortify them to the finish line.

By working with area employers and civic organizations, PTC upholds its commitment to strengthening communities, which helps ensure that jobs are available for the students who have been trained specifically for them and reinforces industry decisions to invest in our region, confident in its ready workforce.

Every footfall across the miles can take a toll on a runner’s body as well as her shoes. In that vein, we recognize that colleges need the upgrades and latest technology, not unlike a runner’s investment in the most innovative athletic footwear, to perform at their peak potential. When it comes to ensuring institutional sustainability, PTC exercises efficient and responsible stewardship of its financial and physical resources by: exploring all financial aid opportunities for students; maximizing acquisition and use of local, state and federal funding streams; and ensuring that our facilities and technology infrastructure remain modern, safe, efficient and up to date.

Reducing Costs

Key State Scholarship Expansions Will Allow More PTC Students to Attend College Tuition-Free

The daughter of a career law enforcement official from Edgefield County, Kylie Wash learned early on the value of a strong work ethic. The 20-year-old radiologic technology major and Piedmont Technical College (PTC) Presidential Ambassador aspires to live by her father’s example.

Photo: Kylie Wash

“My father devoted 24 years to the Edgefield County Sheriff’s Office and to the people of Edgefield County,” she said. “He has always put others before himself. … He has taught me so much about life and has told me forever to always work hard even if nobody notices because your actions can speak louder than words.”

Actions, it seems, really do speak louder. The SC Technical College System (SCTCS) recently took action to double the award for the SC Workforce and Industrial Needs Scholarship (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 this spring ― tuition-free. The increase in SC WINS funding affects 48 of the credentials offered at PTC. This fall 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 spring,” said Missy Perry, PTC’s director of financial aid. “It’s an unprecedented opportunity for those seeking higher education.”

Beginning in the spring 2020 semester, SC WINS recipients will 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, SCTCS increased the Lottery Tuition Assistance (LTA) award to $110 per credit hour (increased from $100), with no maximum credit hour limitation, beginning in spring 2020. This is great news for PTC students as they continue working toward their various degrees and certifications.

“Any in-region current or future student who is in good standing and eligible for the scholarships most likely won’t pay anything this spring. It’s an unprecedented opportunity for those seeking higher education.”

— Missy Perry, PTC’s director of financial aid

Wash, who maintains a cumulative 3.51 grade point average, is expecting to graduate next summer. To help pay for her education, she has received LTA and SC WINS support on her journey to an associate degree.

“While I am in school, I continue to work. During my spring and summer semesters, I was working two part-time jobs and going to school full time,” Wash said. “School by itself is a full time job, but I had to pick up as many hours as I could to pay my summer tuition, along with the everyday essentials. I found out about the SC WINS program through the college website, read the requirements and got in touch with my financial aid adviser to see if I qualified. And I did!”

Since then, Wash has been able to leave one of her jobs because SC WINS covered the rest of her tuition for the fall semester. “This meant I could focus more on my grades and not worry about how I was going to cover the remaining balance of my tuition. Thanks to SC WINS, I have more time to study and prepare for my career.”

The South Carolina General Assembly earlier this year passed SC WINS to address specific workforce shortages. The scholarship supplements Lottery Tuition Assistance to help further reduce tuition costs for eligible students. The new program started awarding funds in the fall of 2019.

“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.”

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

In one scenario, a student must be receiving Lottery Tuition Assistance (LTA) and majoring in a 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 SC WINS eligibility information, visit www.ptc.edu/win.