College tech career program takes strides

In two years Tri-County’s Technical Career Pathways (TCP) program has grown from seven students in one district to 166 students from all seven area school districts.  The program gives students a head start on college, allowing them to complete an associate degree in a technical program within one year of full-time study after high school.   Amanda Blanton, director of high school engagement and outreach at Tri-County Technical College, has worked with public school officials and business and industry leaders for more than two years to develop the technical career pathways program with school districts to provide students with the employer-defined skills needed in advanced manufacturing and other STEM-related careers.  A $1 million state-funded proviso is making it possible for these high school students to take college courses in technical career pathways with little or no out-of-pocket cost.  Tuition and related expenses are funded under the proviso.  For the first time last fall, students from four high schools in Anderson and Oconee County School Districts were enrolled in a basic Welding class taught at the College’s Industrial Technology Center (ITC) in Sandy Springs.   Ten students — seven seniors and three juniors from Belton-Honea Path, Crescent, T.L. Hanna and Seneca high schools — were enrolled in Welding 111.  The forum’s keynote speaker, Larry Smith, retired manager of Schneider Electric in Seneca, said, “Technical Career Pathways classes give students a running start.   After one year in the pathways classes in high school and one year at Tri-County, graduates can land a job at Schneider Electric making $40,000 a year straight out of school.  That’s not a bad start.  In three years, they can earn $60,000 and have no college debt because of the efficiency of these programs,” he said.  Martha Baker, a counselor at the Hamilton Career Center, believes if kids find their passion, they will be successful and happy. She tells students to find what they enjoy and go do it.  Paige Johnson, a senior at Walhalla High School, has completed one year of auto body classes and now is in the welding program.  She will transfer enough credit for four classes through Technical Advanced Placement to Tri-County when she enters the welding program next year.