JTEKT President speaks at TCTC

JTEKT North America Chief Operating Officer Ken Hopkins says he has driven by Tri-County Technical College several times in recent years, and it always looked impressive. But Thursday, Hopkins, who was the College’s keynote speaker for its annual report luncheon, had the time to tour the Pendleton Campus, as well as the Industrial Technology Center in Sandy Springs, where he observed students training to work in the fields of CNC, welding and mechatronics, just the kinds of employees the Walhalla plant and JTEKT’s other U.S. facilities need to produce automotive steering systems, drive line couplings, bearings and machine tools. “Color me impressed,” said Hopkins, who joined JTEKT in early 2010 as president of the newly formed global Koyo needle roller bearings division in Michigan. JTEKT is the largest supplier of automotive electric power steering systems in the world. “We need talented team members who are trained to handle the demands of those requirements. Increasingly, as we look for that talent, we turn to Tri-County Technical College to help us to fill our need,” said Hopkins. “We need what you’ve got,” he said to the crowd of business, industrial, education, government and political leaders. Hopkins introduced Wesley O’Kelley, a CNC major and one of five Tri-County interns who work at the Walhalla plant. Co-ops are a great way to earn while you learn and serve a purpose for the plant he said. “We benefit from an opportunity to get to know future full-time employees much better. In addition, we have a big need. Approximately 30 percent of our major skilled departments in Walhalla will retire in the next three years. And with them will go decades of experience, and you just don’t replace those people with anyone off the street,” he added. “The technical colleges in South Carolina, like Tri-County, are critical to our success. At JTEKT, we create solutions for our customers and build quality products every day based on advanced skills acquired at Tri-County Technical College and similar institutions throughout the state. You are lucky right here in Anderson, Oconee and Pickens counties because Tri-County is one of the best among the best. My tour today helped to solidify that determination. Tri-County has the highest success rate among the 16 technical colleges in the state. Ninety-nine percent of employers are highly satisfied with the performance of Tri-County graduates. Consider us in that 99%,” said Hopkins. Following Hopkins’ address, Tri-County President Ronnie L. Booth talked about the year’s accomplishments and the intentional focus on creating a transformative student experience for each student. “We don’t want them to leave the way they arrived,” he said.” We want them to be exponentially better. We are helping them to get from where they are to where they need to be. It’s about changing lives.” One of the year’s initiatives was created through partnerships with the local school districts. Specifically, technical career pathway programs with school districts provide students with the employer-defined skills needed in advanced manufacturing and other STEM-related careers.
A $1 million state-funded proviso is making it possible for high school students to take college courses in career pathways with little or no out-of-pocket cost this fall. For high school students in the tri-county area, the funding covers tuition costs not covered by Lottery Tuition Assistance (LTA), books, and a portion of transportation costs for students enrolled in a technical career pathway. In the past, each school district was working to help offset the costs for these students through grants and their district budgets. Tri-County’s four career pathways are Mechatronics, Basic Electronics, Automotive Technology, and Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Technology. They are being offered in the 2014 – 2015 academic year. Two high school students from Anderson Districts 1 and 2 Career and Technology Center, Blake Thompson, a sophomore at Wren High School, and Taylor Butler, a junior at Belton-Honea Path High School, spoke about their experiences in the technical career pathways program. Both are enrolled in mechatronics classes at the College’s Anderson Campus in addition to their high school coursework. “It’s an amazing opportunity to get a jump start in life. I plan to get my associate degree and enter the workforce. I will graduate from high school with a certificate. This is an amazing accomplishment for me and my mom as well,” said Thompson. He asked for continued funding of the program “for me and future students as well.” Thompson, the only girl in her classes, says the program challenges her. “Just because I am the only girl in that program does not mean I can’t do it,” she said. “I will graduate from college early. I can secure my financial future and have a great job I will enjoy. The classes have taught me to think, to be on time, and that are no failures, just learning experiences. I thank the state and county for their financial support of the technical career pathways programs,” she said. Currently there are 31 students from Anderson School Districts 1 and 2 in the program. “It’s essential that it be in all high schools,” said Dr. Booth. “We need more students, more partnerships,” said Dr. Booth. “We are working together to make it happen.”