Trident Tech to offer free lean manufacturing training

Listen to this article

Trident Technical College’s Division of Continuing Education and Economic Development is offering 84 grants for students in its lean manufacturing program.

The college has modified the program — developed in conjunction with local manufacturers to provide workers with the equivalent of a year of manufacturing experience — to conform to the state’s new ManuFirst SC grant program, launched earlier this year.

The program covers the cost of tuition, background checks and drug screening for 84 participants in Trident Tech’s lean manufacturing classes running from January to May. Grants are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce’s 2018 Talent Demand Study projects nearly 35,000 new jobs will be created in the region by 2022, with approximately 18% of those jobs in the production or mechanical sector.

To qualify for a grant, students must be at least 18 years old, be able to legally work in the United States, live in South Carolina, have a high school or GED diploma, and provide proof of a WorkKeys score. Participants must also pass a background test and drug screening, both paid for by the grant, and enroll in SC Works Online Services.

Trident Tech is hosting a series of information sessions about the ManuFirst SC grant program:

• Today: 5:30-6:30 p.m. at Trident Tech’s Berkeley Campus library.
• Wednesday: 5:30-6:30 p.m. at the Dorchester County QuickJobs Training Center.
• Saturday: 10-11 a.m. at Trident Tech’s Thornley Campus in Building 910, room 122.