September 30, 2026 Raymond James, assistant dean of advanced manufacturing and transportation technology at Greenville Technical College, based in Greenville, South Carolina, recently discussed the college’s success as a Manufacturing Imperative - Workforce Pipeline Coalition (MI-WPC) participant with Greg Jones, director of strategic programs and partnerships at SME, during an SME Insights podcast at the SME Mission Critical Workforce 2030 exhibit at the Manufacturing Technology Series Southeast. The SME MI-WPC was established in 2024 to close the U.S. manufacturing skills gap by increasing enrollment in manufacturing training programs at 32 community colleges nationally. James shared that participation in the challenge has transformed how Greenville Tech approaches recruitment for its 10 School of Advanced Manufacturing and Transportation Technology programs, “So we set up these different career pathways, go out and talk to different companies, and set up different manufacturing career fairs that we do once or twice a year. We allow students to come in and see what careers are out there in advanced manufacturing.” According to James, career pathway diversity is the cornerstone, with eight out of 10 programs offering structured pathways, including apprenticeship, tech scholar, co-op, job shadowing and capstone programs. Students can specialize in CNC machining, welding, mechatronics, HVAC and industrial electricity. Over the last few years, enrollment in the manufacturing program at Greenville Tech has increased from 1,000 to about 1,500 students. One of the biggest challenges Greenville Tech has faced in growing student enrollment is program awareness. James explained that the college has a multi-faceted approach to address this, including supporting several high school manufacturing career days, talking with parents and attending events hosted by Greenville County. Another barrier to enrollment is the cost of post-secondary education. Greenville Tech offers scholarships to make their programs more accessible. James explained that partnerships with local employers also help offset the financial cost, “What happens is they [students] work in the industry, and the industry says, you allow me 20 hours of school and 20 hours of work. We will assist you with your schooling. So that will take care of their classes, that will take care of their books and allow them to work while they are going to classes. It’s a win-win for both.” James reflected on his personal journey from the military to the manufacturing industry to an academic career. “The moral of the story is, I myself was an apprentice when I got into the military. I started working in the industry; I didn't have a pathway to go and I was just an operator. But I wanted to do more, and the company allowed me to be an apprentice. I'm an advocate for apprenticeships and tech scholars,” he said. Transportation is a third challenge that Greenville Tech has focused on addressing to increase enrollment. “One thing that we're looking at trying to do right now is having pathways set up with Greenwood County Schools, where there might be transportation to bus students to the campuses to start some of these career pathways a little bit earlier while they’re in high school. And I have seen that being a reward because we did it this past summer. We had about 42 people within our HVAC, IE, and welding programs. Within that, we had 20 students complete that program this summer and start going to Greenwood Tech to finish up their credentials.” Additionally, like other colleges participating in the MI-WPC, Greenville Tech needs to address skilled-trades instructor shortages. “One thing we are doing is partnering with one of our schools, Business and Computer Technology,” James explained. “They hold an adjunct career fair where people can come out and bring their resumes to see what programs line up with their skill set, so we can recruit more faculty to start teaching in our programs. They get to see the aspect of what we do to our students, and then if they enjoy it, sometimes they leave their profession to come work for Greenville Tech full time.” James shared that increased student enrollment has also necessitated more physical space for learning. To achieve this, Greenville Tech recently broke ground on a Center for Welding Automation Excellence (CWAE) facility, expected to open for classes in fall 2026. James explained that the 45,000-square-foot building will include 145 new welding booths and house brand new technology not found on the East Coast. According to James, the Center for Welding Automation Excellence is expected to double student enrollment capacity from 150 to 300. Jones concluded, “Those students are going to work in automotive, aerospace and all the key industries where those technologies are needed.” To learn more, watch the full interview below.
