Importance of perception: The trades skills gap

Last night, several organization representatives, educational institutions, and community members met to collaborate and identify the strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for education, job training, and career paths in Rock Hill. Over 15 organizations and individuals took the podium and spoke about their efforts, success, and needs in developing a strong workforce in Rock Hill, as well as how to help individuals establish themselves in a career that pays a living wage.

As part of this great committee, we are excited to get to the next level at the York Tech Innovation Lab. The lab was designed as part of one of the first Knowledge Park grants. The "Fab Lab," as we call it, is used heavily for classes, short term training and buisness/ entrepreneur incubator utilization. Two major programming areas are the Innovation lab and the Cyber Factory. In the innovation lab, we have high tech fabrication equipment, inclusing laser cutters, a milling system. 3D printers, roller/ mill machines, creative software and more! Our students and faculty plus Winthrop students and faculty use the lab a great deal. We also bring in a lot of middle and high school students for programming! Cyber-factory is a comprehensive industry 4.0 training system that uses RFID - Radio Frequency Identification - and NFC - Near Field Communication. In other words, it's a fully automated, SMART factory! We're excited to help ensure more entreprenuers have access to and suport in the innovation lab as we help promote talent development in our knowledge economy!

We received this award notification today from the SC Department of Commerce: Rock Hill Economic Development Corporation - Knowledge Park Innovation Center, Phase III: $100,000 Phase III of the Knowledge Park Innovation Center (KPIC) is an initiative designed to attract and grow technology intensive businesses, as well as the technology workforce. Through the first two phases of the project, the Rock Hill Economic Development Corporation has deployed programs such as the Technology Incubator, the Talent Pipeline Apprenticeship Program, York Technical College's FabLab and Winthrop University's CreatorSpace. Phase III seeks to work closely with its partners to incorporate three-dimensional technology and expand its applicability to new products.