Clemson Center Funding Local Stem Programs

The Clemson University Center for Workforce Development has awarded 36 school districts or institutions and nine technical colleges a total of $450,000 for workforce development initiatives.

The school districts will share $175,000 and the technical colleges $275,000 to support science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs.

In March, the Workforce Development Center held a series of workshops where educators with a focus on STEM education learned how to apply for monetary awards to further their programs. All schools or districts that submitted proposals were funded.

Proposals that received awards include:

• Redesign 9th grade science curriculum to address advanced manufacturing and technology
• Develop and implement district-wide STEM activity in each K-12 grade level to foster engineering skills, problem-solving and specific technical knowledge in electrical, mechanical, computer, and robotic systems
• Develop after-school student study to explore STEM careers in advanced manufacturing and technology. Students will spend two hours weekly researching, writing, designing, creating, testing and redesigning projects related to aerospace, civil, environmental and materials engineering. Engineers from each field will be invited to view student projects and give information about their jobs.
• Increase student interest in advanced manufacturing and technology, and improve training to better meet the needs of local manufacturing industry
• Prepare high school students for careers in the manufacturing industry by increasing interest in the field, providing relevant training, and offer exposure to training and career opportunities

As part of its commitment to bolster South Carolina’s manufacturing base, the Duke Energy Foundation funded workforce development initiatives in the state with a $4.11 million award to help provide a next-generation workforce in key cluster areas.

Duke Energy tasked Clemson’s Workforce Development Center to manage educational, research and outreach activities in support of workforce development and STEM education.

With a focus on advanced manufacturing to support South Carolina’s burgeoning manufacturing industry, the center oversees distribution of these funds to partner institutions that include universities, technical colleges, K-12 institutions and STEM-oriented organizations through competitive funding awards, scholarships and internships.

Duke Energy’s funding will help create virtual resources designed to support industrial development, sponsor competitive funding opportunities for K-12 and technical college classrooms, support scholarships and internships across multiple S.C. institutions of higher education, and finance conferences to create greater awareness of workforce development issues.

“School districts and technical colleges statewide have shown an eagerness to enhance the education of their students through an array of STEM initiatives,” said Rebecca Hartley, program coordinator of the Center for Workforce Development. “Such initiatives are vital if South Carolina is going to meet its workforce development needs.”

Awarded School Districts and Schools

Abbeville County

Legacy Charter School, Greenville

Anderson 1

Marion County

Anderson 2

Marlboro County

Anderson 3

Oconee County

Anderson 5

Pee Dee Math, Science and Technology Academy, Bishopville

Clarendon 2

Pickens County

Florence 1

S.C. Charter Schools

Florence 2

Spartanburg 1

Georgetown

Spartanburg 2

Greenville County

Spartanburg 3

Greenwood 50

Spartanburg 4

Greenwood 51

Spartanburg 6

Greenwood 52

Spartanburg 7

Horry County

Sumter

Kershaw County

Williamsburg County

Laurens 55

York 1

Laurens 56

York 2

Lee County

York 3

Awarded Technical Colleges

Central Carolina Technical College

Florence-Darlington Technical College

Greenville Technical College

Midlands Technical College

Northeastern Technical College

Piedmont Technical College

Spartanburg Technical College

Tri-County Technical College

Williamsburg Technical College