OCONEE COUNTY — Tri-County Technical College will join Oconee County partners from government, education and economic development to break ground on the Oconee Campus, the first building to be constructed on the site of the future Oconee County Workforce Development Center.

The public is invited to attend the ceremony, which will be held at 10 a.m. July 14 at the Oconee County Industry and Technology Park, 1000 Innovation Way, Westminster.

The Oconee Industry and Technology Park, located on Highway 11 in Westminster, will co-locate an Oconee Campus of Tri-County Technical College, a new Career Center for high school students, adult education and industry. The result will be a unique center for technical education, work-based learning and economic development.

The project is a partnership between Tri-County Technical College, the School District of Oconee County and Oconee County.

The dedication ceremony will feature comments from Tri-County President Ronnie Booth, John Powell, Oconee businessman and chair of the College’s Commission, Dr. Michael Thorsland, superintendent for the School District of Oconee County, Zachary Hinton, vice chair, Oconee Economic Alliance board, Edda Cammick, chair of Oconee County Council, Rep. Bill Sandifer, Rep. Bill Whitmire and Sen. Thomas Alexander.

The 37,000 square foot Oconee Campus is estimated to cost $7.25 million and will be paid for by State-appropriate funds. Oconee County provided land and site preparation valued at $2.75 million.

Program offerings will support manufacturing in the region and will include CNC Programming and Operations, Manufacturing Management and Leadership, Business Administration with an emphasis in Operations Management; Industrial Electronics Technology and Mechatronics.

Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative committed $100,000 to the Campus, which is the first major gift for the project.

The campus will open fall semester, 2018.

Staff Report