Columbia’s Heyward Career and Technology Center offers certifications that help students join South Carolina’s growing skilled workforce.
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The demand for skilled workers is growing, and one Midlands school is stepping up to meet it.
At Heyward Career and Technology Center in Columbia, students are earning certifications that can launch high-paying careers right out of high school.
Inside the school’s welding lab, 10th grader Mycah Jeter says she’s already found her spark in the trades.
“This program is really important for me to join the workforce in welding or grinding or whatever I pursue, because being certified, knowing what I’m doing, knowing how to handle the tanks and materials, grinding PPE. Very important,” Jeter said.
And she’s not alone. According to the National Skills Coalition, 57% of jobs in South Carolina require skills training but not a four-year degree.
That demand for hands-on workers can also mean big paychecks. Welding instructor William Ayers said his students can earn strong wages straight out of high school.
“Some of them, for just like a basic, basic helper in a shop, can range from like fifteen to seventeen an hour. But then the more that you know, the more processes of welding you can do, and just the more knowledge you have of fabrication going into these jobs. We can look somewhere thirty five, thirty six an hour,” Ayers said.
Heyward Career and Technology Center offers 16 certification programs, including automotive technology, horticulture, culinary arts, diesel mechanics, health science, mechatronics, sports medicine, hair care and barbering, and even a commercial driver’s license course.
Principal Craig Washington said those programs are changing lives and preparing students for real careers.
“A lot of our students are taking career tests, and those certifications allow them to be able to go out into the job market and be career-ready. That might mean them stepping out of high school as a senior, graduating senior, and being able to make $85,000 a year because you have the right certifications in, um, you know, technology or whether it’s the right certification in diesel or automotive,” Washington said.
Washington added that the center is seeing continued growth, with around 100 more students enrolling each year.
From the welding booth to the bakery kitchen, it’s clear that the trades are making a comeback. At Heyward Career and Technology Center, the next generation isn’t just learning about work; they’re already doing it.