One often wonders how universities decide which majors to offer.
While I can’t speak for others, the degree programs we offer at Greenville Technical College are directly aligned with the needs of employers in the area. Advanced manufacturers need mechatronics technicians to keep sophisticated equipment running. Dental offices need hygienists to help with oral hygiene. Lawyers rely on paralegals to help with research and document preparation.
If there is a need for highly skilled people in a sector, we fill it. And as needs change, we update curriculum and equipment, eliminate outdated programs where necessary, and create new pathways to success. The goal is to provide a well-qualified candidate pool so that companies can grow, graduates can easily find promising positions, and the economy can thrive.
The healthcare field is a perfect example. We train future nurses, respiratory therapists, surgical technicians, health information managers, certified tumor registrars, radiology technicians, diagnostic medical ultrasound technicians, medical assistants, medical laboratory technicians, occupational therapy assistants, physical therapy assistants, paramedics, and emergency medical technicians – many of the healthcare professionals who provide hands-on treatment or work behind the scenes with patients. These professionals enable hospitals and physician offices to provide the highest quality patient care.
Greenville Technical College has been training skilled talent so employers can succeed since 1962. And since those early days, Prisma Health has been our valued partner, working with us to attract and train the skilled workers they need.
Because of this long-standing relationship, Prisma Health is the No. 1 employer for Greenville Technical College graduates. Considering we offer more than 100 programs across five academic schools, all consisting of majors that correlate with workforce needs, it is impressive to be at the top of the employer list.
This week, we’re celebrating a groundbreaking new facility that builds on this long-standing partnership – the Prisma Health Center for Health & Life Sciences. Here, we’ll train students for critical careers in healthcare, with the skills taught, as always, closely aligned with workforce needs. A $1.5 million donation from Prisma Health ensures we can prepare the workforce of tomorrow.
This is not a new building where we have moved existing teaching resources. Instead, it is equipped with innovative technology. There are life-sized digital cadavers that allow students to apply what they have learned on a scale model. The advanced technology can be used by students to study bones, muscles and vascular systems individually or in combination, improving understanding of how these systems are connected in the body.
A modernized imaging suite for radiology students houses all new X-ray equipment, bridging the gap from practice to clinical experience. And an expanded sonography suite with state-of-the-art equipment provides a better connection to the workplace as the program can offer more OB scans to the public, a free community service that builds hands-on experience and confidence for our students.
To produce the next generation of health professionals, we must break down the perceived barriers to STEM courses. This facility will do just that. While older lab spaces only have small windows in the doors, half of our new spaces have an entire wall of windows. Our lab spaces have strategically placed interior windows that make teaching and learning visible, and even the cabinets are glazed, allowing the tools inside to be visible and inviting students and visitors to find a future in STEM careers.
Prisma Health has invested not only in the building, but also in the people who will move into it. An additional $450,000 scholarship fund will award 30 nursing scholarships each year and hire a counseling specialist to help students transition from college to Prisma employee.
We are extremely proud of the Prisma Health Center for Health & Life Sciences and the role it will play in educating health professionals, and we can’t wait for August 26th when this center for science and general education courses opens its doors to students with innovative classrooms and life-changing, relevant training.
Dr. Keith Miller is president of Greenville Technical College.
