Trident Technical College is offering free lean manufacturing training for 84 participants through the ManuFirstSC Grant program

The demand for workers in high-tech lean manufacturing is expected to continue to surge in the Lowcountry in the coming years and Trident Technical College’s Division of Continuing Education and Economic Development is gearing up to train the employees that can fill those jobs.

The college has modified its Lean Manufacturing program, originally developed in conjunction with local manufacturers to provide workers with the equivalent of one year of manufacturing experience, to conform to the state of South Carolina’s ManuFirstSC Grant program. The ManuFirstSC Grant program completely covers the cost of tuition, background checks and drug screening for a total of 84 participants for Trident Tech’s ManuFirstSC (Lean Manufacturing) continuing education classes running from January to May 2019. Grants are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.

Trident Tech Continuing Education is hosting a series of free information sessions about the ManuFirstSC Grant program in December 2018. Information sessions are scheduled for:

• Tuesday, Dec. 4, 5:30-6:30 p.m. at Trident Tech’s Berkeley Campus Library, 1001 S. Live Oak Dr., Moncks Corner
• Wednesday, Dec. 5, 5:30-6:30 p.m. at Dorchester County QuickJobs Training Center, 5164 E. Jim Bilton Blvd., St. George
• Saturday, Dec. 8, 10-11 a.m. at Trident Tech’s Thornley Campus (formerly Main Campus), 7000 Rivers Ave., North Charleston, in Bldg. 910, Rm. 122

The Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce 2018 Talent Demand Study projected nearly 35,000 new jobs are being created in the Charleston Metro area within the next five years and approximately 18 percent of those are production or mechanical in nature. Additionally, it noted the demand is surpassing local graduate output by 300-500 positions. The ManuFirstSC Grants and Trident Tech’s Lean Manufacturing program can help train Lowcountry residents to fill that void.

To qualify for a ManuFirstSC Grant participants must:

• be at least 18 years old;
• be able to legally work in the United States;
• provide documentation of South Carolina residency;
• have a high school diploma or GED;
• provide proof of a Silver WIN/WorkKeys score;
• pass a SC SLED background check (paid for by the grant);
• pass a basic panel drug screen (paid for by the grant);
• enroll in the SC Works Online Services (SCWOS) system

Interested students should attend the free information sessions to get more detailed information about all of the requirements. For additional information, visit www.tridenttech.edu/ce and click on Funding Opportunities or call 843.574.6152.