April 24, 2015
Aiken Technical College has achieved the highest graduate job placement rate statewide, ahead of 15 other colleges in the S.C. Technical College System.
ATC’s graduate placement rate was near perfect in 2012-13, with 96.7 percent of graduates finding jobs in their fields of study or continuing on to further education. The systemwide average among South Carolina’s 16 technical colleges was 86 percent of students who were placed in a job related to their education or who are continuing their studies and furthering their education.
“We are incredibly proud of our excellent job placement rate and what it means for our graduates and our community,” said Bryan Newton, ATC’s vice president of enrollment management and student experience. “ATC’s administration, faculty and staff all work closely with regional industry partners to place students in the careers of their choice. Given the high quality of the faculty teaching ATC programs, we are able to ensure that our students’ education matches industry demands, and this results in our graduates being employed in jobs throughout the CSRA.”
ATC offers associate degrees, diplomas and certificate programs in a variety of high-demand fields, including health sciences, business, computer technology, public service, industrial maintenance, electronic engineering technology, nuclear and more.
Through its Technical Scholars Program, students pursuing education in certain technical fields are able to be employed part-time by local companies while still in school. Companies pay the students’ tuition and fees, and upon graduation there is an opportunity for the student to become fully employed with the sponsoring company.
In addition, academic programs at ATC offer students opportunities for hands-on training in the classroom, and many include required or optional internship or clinical rotation components. Often, students completing an internship with an area employer may later be hired on full-time. ATC also partners with four-year institutions to offer students pathways to continue their education and pursue a bachelor’s degree.