Building Towards the Future

Aeronautical Training Center at Trident Technical College

According to the South Carolina Department of Commerce, in 2019 the aerospace industry employed over 22,000 South Carolinians at 400 firms, with a statewide impact of $19 billion a year. Much of that activity has been driven by Boeing, which located its 1.2 million SF 787 Dreamliner final assembly and delivery facility in North Charleston in 2009. The industry created 5,200 new jobs in the region between 2011 and 2018, creating positive ripple effects throughout the regional economy; for every aeronautics job, three additional jobs are created in supporting industries.

The industry is fueling the need for a skilled advanced manufacturing workforce with targeted training in aeronautics. Recognizing both the need for trained workers and the economic development opportunities inherent in this growth, Trident Technical College (TTC) envisioned a new SC Aeronautical Training Center in North Charleston to help create a pipeline for skilled workers. The new facility is located less than five miles from the Boeing facility, and serves as a direct link between academic and training programs and industry.

In creating the academic programs and developing the criteria for success, TTC wanted the new facility to accommodate highly specialized training programs for a middle skills workforce at the associate’s degree level as well as space for continuing education. The College wanted the technical equipment and learning spaces on full display, highlighting the leading-edge tools and the complex, hands-on learning taking place in the labs and classrooms.

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