SCC Partners with R.D. Anderson

Spartanburg Community College Partners with R.D. Anderson to Provide Welding Training Space During Lab Renovation

SPARTANBURG, SC – Spartanburg Community College (SCC) and R.D. Anderson Applied Technology Center have partnered to ensure students can continue their welding education without interruption while R.D. Anderson’s welding laboratory undergoes renovations.

Through a memorandum of understanding between the two institutions, R.D. Anderson welding students are temporarily utilizing instructional space and welding facilities at SCC’s Tyger River Campus during the Fall 2026 semester. The arrangement allows students to continue receiving hands-on welding instruction while improvements are completed at their home facility. The agreement is designed to minimize instructional disruption while continuing to provide high-quality welding education opportunities for students.

The partnership grew from conversations between instructors and staff from SCC’s Industrial Technologies department and R.D. Anderson, who recognized an opportunity to collaborate to meet a temporary need while keeping students on track.

“When faced with a challenge that could have interrupted students’ educational journeys, Spartanburg Community College responded with flexibility and a commitment to partnership,” said Dr. Michael Mikota, President of Spartanburg Community College. “By adapting our operations and opening access to specialized training facilities, we worked alongside R.D. Anderson to ensure students remained on track toward their goals. This collaboration demonstrates the power of partnership to overcome challenges and strengthen our region’s future workforce.”

Under the agreement, SCC is providing access to welding laboratory facilities at the Tyger River Campus and coordinating scheduling and facility access with R.D. Anderson. R.D. Anderson continues to provide its qualified welding instructors, instructional materials and consumable supplies while maintaining responsibility for its students and instruction. Students participating in the arrangement remain enrolled as R.D. Anderson students.

The collaboration also reflects the important connection between secondary education, technical education and workforce development in Spartanburg County.

“Strong educational partnerships are about finding solutions that put students first,” said Amber Kreger, Dean of Educational Partnerships at Spartanburg Community College. “Through collaboration with R.D. Anderson, we were able to identify an opportunity at our Tyger River Campus that allows these students to continue their welding education while renovations are underway. This is exactly what partnership should look like, working together to ensure students continue to have access to the learning experiences they need to be successful.”

As the Fall 2026 semester continues, the partnership is already providing students with opportunities that extend beyond the welding lab. Students are continuing their technical education while also preparing for their next steps through college credit and work-based learning opportunities.

“I typically serve about 40 students each semester, with at least half being seniors. During their final semester, these students will still have the opportunity to continue their welding education at the college level while earning TAP credit, or participate in a paid co-op with one of our industry partners. We are incredibly excited about the construction and renovations ahead and what they will mean for our students and community. The partnership with SCC will ensure that we can continue serving our students throughout this process. This partnership is a great example of what can happen when schools and colleges work together to put students first. The fall semester of 2026 is now about halfway over, and thanks to this partnership, 11 seniors have already been approved for TAP college credit and 3 have been placed in co-op positions with local industry partners,” said Jay Snyder, Welding Instructor at R.D. Anderson Applied Technology Center.

Students participating in the partnership have also experienced firsthand the benefits of training in a college environment while continuing their high school welding education.

“Spartanburg Community College at Tyger River has been an excellent facility for me and the other students. We have learned a lot and had great opportunities to improve our skills. The SCC instructor has been very helpful and accommodating to our needs, and Mr. Snyder has prepared me for the next level in my career,” said Colin Almond, a student at Dorman High School.

“I have enjoyed my time here at the Spartanburg Community College (SCC) Tyger River Campus. This opportunity has allowed other students like me to experience a college-like atmosphere that trains us for our next step in life. The campus provided a welding shop with all the equipment that is needed. The campus also provided a classroom, which has proved to be a very valuable part of the program allowing us to work on print reading which has made me not only a better welder but a smarter one. Much thanks to the SCC instructor, he has helped very much and contributed to a lot of the success that our students are having this year,” said Nathaniel Hart, a student at James F. Byrnes High School.

For R.D. Anderson, the collaboration has provided a solution that allows its welding program to continue serving students while also moving forward with improvements to its own facilities.

“R.D. Anderson is committed to making sure our students have every opportunity to continue learning, growing and preparing for successful careers. When our welding lab renovation created a temporary challenge, Spartanburg Community College stepped up as a true partner and provided a solution that allowed our students to continue their hands-on training without interruption. We are extremely grateful for SCC’s willingness to partner with us and support our students. This partnership is a great example of what can happen when educational institutions work together to put students and the future workforce first,” said Dr. Ty Dawkins, Director, R.D. Anderson Applied Technology Center.

The temporary arrangement began in August and is scheduled to continue through December 31, 2026, unless extended or terminated by mutual written agreement.

The partnership demonstrates both institutions’ commitment to minimizing disruption for students and ensuring continued access to high-quality career and technical education opportunities.

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