College Students in Spartanburg Entering the Workforce Sooner

Spartanburg, S.C

College students at Spartanburg Community College (SCC) are dedicating their time and effort to practical trades in an effort to enter the job market sooner. Equipping themselves with valuable technical skills, these students are sidestepping the traditional four-year degree path to a promising future. A strong market demand for skilled technicians has spurred increased interest in these programs.

Inspiring Passion for Practical Trades

For many of these students, the attraction to these trades is born out of a passion for hands-on work. One student, Zion Willborn, expressed his enthusiasm for these practical disciplines, saying, “I like the more hands-on stuff where you got to get in and get dirty.”

The ambitious student is currently enrolled in the two-year program at Spartanburg Community College to become a mechatronics technician. Following in the footsteps of his father who was in the same career, Zion finds himself drawn to mechatronics, a field that combines elements of electronics and mechanical engineering.

Significant Increase in Trade Program Enrollment

The Dean of Industrial Technology at SCC, Tony Chadwick, noted an upswing in the number of students interested in these practical courses. “Tables have turned, and now we need as many people in the industry as we can get. Like maintenance technicians, programmers, robot engineers. All these jobs are high paying and needed in this area,” Chadwick pointed out.

Another student, Erik Heinz, took a leap of faith into the mechatronics field after a few years in the workforce. After finding a maintenance job and realizing his passion for it, Erik returned to SCC’s mechatronics program to further his knowledge and skills. The college has not only provided a wealth of knowledge for Erik and others like him but has been instrumental in helping these young talents find their footing in the job market.

Employment Opportunities

Chadwick applauded SCC’s role in equipping the local job market. “We get calls every day from the industry needing more and more students, so we can’t produce them fast enough to meet industry needs right now. So we need all the students we can get,” he said, underscoring the current high demand for skilled technicians in the marketplace.

With a significant 54% increase in students enrolling in these trade programs, it’s evident that Spartanburg Community College plays a critical role in the economic ecosystem of the area, meeting the growing demands of local industries by churning out skilled technicians at a brisk pace.