The Greenville Tech Foundation recently received a $100,000 grant from the Truist Foundation.
The grant will fund a new pipe rack simulator for the new Center for Welding and Automation Excellence at Greenville Technical College. The 44,000-square-foot facility will expand the college’s capacity for training students for careers in welding and advanced manufacturing.
The new simulator will allow students to receive hands-on training with the structural systems used in industrial facilities such as manufacturing plants and power generation sites. Students will learn how to read blueprints, fit and install pipes and weld in various positions while using this simulator.
“One of the best ways we can prepare students for successful careers is by giving them opportunities to learn in environments that reflect the workplaces they’ll enter after graduation,” said Gina Blohm, executive director of the Greenville Tech Foundation.
Jonathan Chavis, market president at Truist, said Greenville Technical College is creating a direct path from the classroom to careers that can support families and strengthen the overall region.
“By investing in practical training that meets the needs of local employers, we’re bringing Truist’s purpose to life – inspiring and building better lives and communities – while helping the Upstate develop the skilled workforce it needs to grow,” Chavis said.
The Center for Welding and Automation Excellence is located on Greenville Technical College’s Brashier campus in Simpsonville. The facility is scheduled to open for classes in the fall of 2026.
