Central Carolina Technical College Receives $52,000 Grant From Caterpillar Foundation

Sumter, SC — With a recent grant from the Caterpillar Foundation, incoming female CCTC students will have access to industrial-focused vocational training programs for three high demand fields.

For those women, their enrollment in the Forklift Training for Beginners, Manufacturing Technician and Certified Logistics Technician courses will be funded through a $52,000 grant from the Caterpillar Foundation.

All of the required materials for these courses will be provided to remove barriers of entry to these classes. These workforce development training courses will focus on preparing women to obtain employment in those fields.

The grant, Empowering Women in the Workforce, will help support women in non-traditional fields such as manufacturing and logistics.

Dean of Workforce Development & South Carolina Environmental Training Center (SCETC), Elizabeth Williams, believes that the grant from the Caterpillar Foundation will be beneficial for women who want to pursue a career in these non-traditional fields.

“This grant is a great opportunity to provide training to women who are interested in learning new skills or who would like to pursue a career change. The programs offer work-ready skills and certifications that will prepare the participants for the workforce,” Williams said. “By removing cost barriers to the training, the programs will benefit people in the community by supporting female skilled workers for high-demand fields in manufacturing and logistics.”

The Caterpillar Foundation’s two-year grant will enable 36 women to participate in the program. With nearly all participants completing the program projected to earn at least one industry-recognized credential, and the majority earning multiple credentials, this program will provide much needed skills that benefit not only participants, but the local economy.

For more information, interested students can send an email to training@cctech.edu or call 803-778-6656.