Work has begun on the Technical College of the Lowcountry’s $26 million workforce training center.
The 50,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art Arthur E. Brown Regional Workforce Training Center will be the second building on the TCL New River campus that spans Beaufort and Jasper counties, according to a news release.
The new facility will increase TCL’s capacity by an estimated 850 students.
The center’s name honors Retired U.S. Army General Arthur E. Brown Jr. for his substantial contributions to the college, the release stated. Appointed to the TCL Area Commission in 1997, he served 23 years 15 as chairman until his resignation in 2020. Under his leadership, the college expanded with the opening of the New River Campus and the Culinary Institute of the South in Bluffton.
The State of South Carolina’s 2023 budget included a $10 million appropriation for the center, according to the release. The project is estimated to cost around $26 million with a three-to-four year approval process and construction timeline. The college is partnering with local government, industry and private donors to secure remaining funding.
The center will offer new and expanded programs in manufacturing, automated systems, logistics, business and entrepreneurship, computer technology and more, the release stated. This includes fast-track workforce certifications in areas such as forklift operations and HVAC training that can be earned in a few months or less. Stackable offerings will help break longer programs into smaller chunks, which has many advantages.
“It allows both career changers and incumbent workers to gain new skills as their schedules allow without them having to put a hard stop on their current income,” Vice President for Advancement Mary Lee Carns said in the release. “Plus, students are more likely to finish shorter classes.”
Related: College of Charleston launches 2 new schools
Related: Work begins on Lowcountry Land Trust HQ and Center for Conservation in Charleston
The center’s new programs also align with ongoing initiatives by local chambers of commerce and economic development organizations that are recruiting key sectors aerospace and defense, light manufacturing and distribution, headquarter and back office, green and alternative energies, cybersecurity and more to expand or locate here, the release stated.
“These sectors have been strategically identified to fit well within the Lowcountry way of life while having the potential to offer higher wages and to create a more diversified local economy,” John O’Toole, executive director for the Beaufort County Economic Development Corp., said in the release.
The center’s course offerings also mirror the training needs of two other key workforce groups in the Lowcountry: military and small business.
Military members and veterans often turn to TCL to help translate their aviation electronics and aircraft maintenance service into industry-recognized credentials, which sets them up for future employment opportunities, the release stated.
Business and entrepreneurship are becoming popular pathways for veterans as well, the release stated. One recent study showed that veteran-owned businesses doubled in 2021 making up nearly 11% of new business owners in 2021 compared to 5.4% in 2019.
The Lowcountry economy relies on small business success, while entrepreneurship is one of the most popular career choices for younger generations. Data show that more than 60% of Generation Z have started or want to start their own business.
“Enhancing the college’s technology and diversifying our offerings will certainly have a positive impact on the Lowcountry’s workforce and on the region’s overall economic health,” Gough said.
Copyright © 2024 BridgeTower Media. All Rights Reserved.
Most Popular
Comments / 0