CCTC graduate becomes first female machinist at BD

Central Carolina Technical College credits its on-going growth and relevance to its partnerships with area industries and schools.

In 2017, CCTC introduced the WORKFIRST program, a CCTC Career Initiative that was available to all students in the college’s service area. It integrated academic and career interests with paid, career-related work experience. The WORKFIRST program allowed students to attend class and work toward a certificate in Basic Machining and CNC Fundamentals while being paid to work within that same career field. This gave students the opportunity to gain valuable job experience related to their area of study, learn time management skills and avoid accruing debt.

Yadira Viera took part in the WORKFIRST program. She graduated from CCTC in May 2019 with an associate degree in Applied General Technology, a Basic Machining and CNC Fundamentals Certificate and an Advanced CNC Programming Certificate. During her time in the program, she maintained a 4.0 grade-point average. She was hired as an intern by Mancor Industries in Lugoff, South Carolina as a WORKFIRST employee and after 12 months, was hired as a full-time employee. In January 2019, she was hired as the first female machinist at BD in Sumter. “It’s been great working at BD, and I am proud to know that I am the first female machinist at BD Sumter,” says Yadira. “I can say with confidence that I can do everything a man can in this role, and the team here has been very supportive.” (credit: Angela Lapré, Sr. Manager, Communications & Change Management, Preanalytical Systems, BD)

Central Carolina Technical College is ready to help students find out how much they can accomplish. Enroll now for Fall Semester. Classes start August 19. Visit www.cctech.edu/yourfuture for more information.