The successes of Tri-County Technical College over the past 63 years area testament to the power of the strong relationships and partnerships the College shares with business, industry, and educators in the community. These relationships and partnerships transform the lives of TCTC students and help to build stronger communities.
Health Care Pathways and Partnerships
Honor Health Career Programs/HMR Veterans Services, Inc.
In 2022, officials from TCTC, Honor Health Career Programs (HHCP) and HMR Veterans Services, Inc. (HMRVSI), announced a new workforce development program – the first of its kind in the U.S. – that created an on-site training program for certified nursing assistants (CNAs) to pursue a licensed practical nursing (LPN) credential at the Richard M. Campbell Veterans Home in Anderson. HMRVSI provides the learning environment, TCTC delivers the education, and HHCP provides mentoring and funding for tuition, books and supplies.
Prisma Health
TCTC partnered with Prisma Health in 2022 to establish a new nursing apprenticeship program that addresses a critical workforce shortage while also helping entry-level employees gain upward mobility and creating a diverse workforce.
Physical Therapy Assistant
TCTC, AnMed and Elite Integrated Therapy Centers have partnered to offer a new Physical Therapy Assistant program that will launch at the College’s Easley Campus in fall 2027. The new two-year associate degree program will meet a critical workforce need and is funded by AnMed and Elite Integrated Therapy Centers.
Medshore EMT Academy
The College partnered with Medshore Ambulance in 2020 to offer free accelerated EMT classes. The EMT-Basic course offers free tuition, certification and testing. This EMT training is the first of its kind in the state.
Educational Partnerships
Bridge to Clemson
Bridge to Clemson, a first of its kind in South Carolina, is an invitation-only program that blends the traditional academic experience at TCTC with the social and cultural experiences of being a Clemson University student. Started in 2006, Bridge to Clemson is specifically designed for recent high school graduates who narrowly missed admission to Clemson because of limited space and high demand.
Articulation Agreements
TCTC has bridge agreements with post secondary institutions, opening doors for even more eligible students to make easy transitions to four-year colleges and universities. TCTC has transfer agreements with Anderson University, Clemson University, USC Upstate, Lander University, North Greenville University, Southern Wesleyan University, the University of South Carolina and others.
Dual Enrollment Academy
TCTC and Clemson University have partnered to offer a first-of-its-kind dual enrollment academy that provides qualified high school students a guaranteed path to earn their Clemson degree.
The TCTC Dual Enrollment Academy is targeted to high school students in the Anderson, Oconee and Pickens school districts whose parents did not earn a bachelor’s degree. Students will be recruited in their sophomore year of high school and those admitted to the academy will take dual enrollment courses through TCTC at little to no cost. To be offered a guaranteed path to Clemson, participating students must meet all academic requirements and achieve a 3.0 or higher GPA in all college coursework and a 4.0 or higher GPA in all high school coursework. The academy is expected to launch in spring 2026.
Expanding the Pipeline of Workers
Technical Career Pathways
Technical Career Pathways (TCP) provides high school juniors and seniors with a clear path to a debt-free education that prepares them for careers in manufacturing. Over the past decade, the program has grown from one pathway – basic electronics – to eight pathways.
Manufacturing Works
Manufacturing Works is a registered pre-apprenticeship with Apprenticeship Carolina. Arthrex and First Quality are corporate sponsors of the program. Manufacturing Works is designed for high school seniors in Anderson County who do not plan on attending college. It is custom-designed to align with skills sought by local employers and high-quality apprenticeship programs in the region. Tuition funding comes from the State Apprenticeship Expansion and Innovation grant administered by Apprenticeship Carolina. A participation stipend is funded by the Development Corporation of Anderson County.
Scholars Programs
TCTC’s collaboration with industry leaders on curriculum changes and developing work-based learning opportunities, like scholars programs, co-ops, internships and apprenticeships, has been the key to producing work-ready graduates.
BASF Environmental Catalyst and Metal Solutions (ECMS) celebrated the completion of the fifth cohort of apprentices from its North American Apprenticeship Development Program in 2024. The program is in partnership with Apprenticeship Carolina and TCTC and enables BASF ECMS to hire talented individuals who might not have been considered otherwise due to their lack of manufacturing experience.
Technical Scholars Programs are designed to give students real, on-the-job experiences that complement what they are learning in the classroom. TCTC has active co-op education programs with Bosch, Michelin, Duke Energy, BorgWarner, BMW, and others.
