Midlands Technical College is using $60,000 received from the Gene Haas Foundation to provide tuition assistance for students who wish to enroll in MTC Advanced Manufacturing programs. Haas presented two $30,000 checks to support both MTC’s Corporate and Continuing Education (CCE) and Academic programs.

The Gene Haas Foundation annually provides more than $8 million in scholarship grants to more than 2,000 schools and colleges nationwide to address the growing advanced manufacturing skills gap.

“The need for students with skills in machining and manufacturing is perhaps greater than it has ever been,” said MTC President Dr. Ronald L. Rhames. “This is an expanding industry in need of skilled employees, and MTC is delivering. With the generosity of the Gene Haas Foundation, we can deliver even more.”

The needs of the manufacturing industry in the Midlands and the state are growing, and MTC has kept pace. For instance, MTC Machine Tool students were recently asked by the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. to make a mold for a national exhibit. Both the academic and CCE machine tool programs have excelled in helping train a sustainable pipeline of technical talent that meets local industries’ skilled workforce needs.

In order to maintain that level of growth with the expanding manufacturing industry, MTC relies on private support from companies like Haas to fund equipment and provide scholarships for students seeking to enter the manufacturing sector.

“Midlands Technical College is truly committed to preparing job-ready employees and supporting this growing trade,” said MTC Foundation CEO Nancy Keon. “We are pleased that a leading industry partner has given this program such recognition, and we are grateful for the support.”

Kathy Looman of the Gene Hass Foundation said a strong manufacturing industry in South Carolina and the country is critical.

“The future of manufacturing in the United States is extremely important to Gene Haas, which is why he partners with colleges like Midlands Technical College and provides scholarships annually to MTC’s machining and CNC programs,” said Looman.

The United States Department of Defense recently partnered with Haas to help find workforce solutions in the industry because of Haas’ commitment to manufacturing education.

“Machining programs like the ones at Midlands Technical College, and how the college reaches out to students who are still in high school, are a major part of the solution,” said Looman.