A $25,000 gift from 3M Greenville’s Community Vibrancy Fund will support the Mechatronics program at Greenville Technical College’s Center for Manufacturing Innovation, opening August 22 adjacent to CU-ICAR.
The money will be used to outfit mechanical training bays. These training bays will help students learn installation, use, maintenance and troubleshooting of mission critical drive components.
The Center for Manufacturing Innovation is designed to close the skills gap that has hampered growth in manufacturing, an economic powerhouse for the Upstate. This one-stop-shop for manufacturing industries will offer a unique environment for educating the manufacturing workforce of the future as it showcases the careers and technology in this sector, attracting younger students and career changers to rewarding professions.
“The education and programs that Greenville Technical College will deliver at the Center for Manufacturing Innovation will have a direct connection to 3M operations but more importantly, the long-term vibrancy of the community,” said James Fissette, HR manager at 3M Greenville.
“This donation is important in helping us produce the highly skilled mechatronics associates that industries in our area need to succeed and grow,” said David Clayton, executive director of the Center for Manufacturing Innovation. “When manufacturers join with us to see that we can provide the highest quality education to meet their needs, the people of our area and our economy benefit.”
3M Greenville also announced gifts to Junior Achievement and University of South Carolina’s Project Lead the Way. All three corporate grants are aimed at increased STEM skills in the Upstate.