The labor shortage continues to challenge industries nationwide, but innovative programs are stepping up to bridge the gap. At the CTE Innovation Center at Roper Mountain, Director Katie Porter leads the effort to equip students with hands-on experience and link education directly to the manufacturing industry’s needs.
Discover how the center is empowering the next generation of skilled workers and providing real solutions to workforce challenges.
AP: Could you tell us a little bit about your background and what led you to get involved with the center?
KP: Absolutely. I am a non-traditional educator. I have a marketing and business degree and felt very called to teach high school and work with high school students back in 2008. My career has been in the realm of career and technical education. When I came to Greenville, career centers were new to me. I’m from Georgia, and they were not robust at that time. I just fell in love with the concept, and I saw firsthand what it not only did for children, but what it did for our local economy to create that bridge. It ‘s always fun to share the story of the amazing things that our kids can do with potential employers.
The Innovation Center in itself is just my dream job. It was on the docket to be built before 2020, but due to the pandemic, it was delayed and the timing just worked out. My background experience at Donaldson Career Center just kind of came together with a vision, and so I got to be the founding director and bring on the staff and really make it what it is and get to continue to tell that story. It’s incredibly humbling to be a part of something this big and unique, and to see just what we do in the lives of students every day. That is absolutely what inspires me.
On days when I am overloaded with anything, all I have to do is go sit in a classroom and watch the amazing things that our students are doing, and it just fills my cup.
AP: I love that. Even just that afternoon we spent getting to walk around and explore was so inspiring. I can only imagine getting to be a part of it every day.
KP: Yes, it’s rare when I have a bad day.
AP: OK. So what trends or disruptions do you see shaping the future of aerospace and automotive manufacturing?
KP: I think it’s ever-changing. The incorporation of AI and robotics we’re seeing in automotive, especially the shift to electronic components, sensors, and radars. In our 4 other career centers, automotive still aligns with an automotive technician, so our program is geared more toward researchers, programmers, and problem solvers. We’re trying to tell that story to students that there is still a large demand for traditional automotive technicians, but for the students who are innovative thinkers and like change, discovery, and research, we feel like that’s where we can really connect. They can continue to figure out what is the next best thing. What is the next safety feature? What is the next efficiency feature? And in this area, we want our students to know where they can have very successful and high-paying careers in those two sectors.
Aerospace, especially, is new programming in Greenville County Schools and we have students who are interested in everything: engineering, mechanics, avionics, piloting, drones, etc. We are trying to expose students to all aspects of that industry and expose them to Tier 1 supplier opportunities as well.
AP: How does the Innovation Center collaborate with local employers to align student learning with real-world skills?
KP: We collaborate in a lot of ways and it’s part of my vision for this center. In my former role, I heard from all sectors of the upstate that students aren’t “career” ready: they don’t communicate well, and they can’t problem-solve. Our solution to that is continuously inviting industry partners into the building to help students grow personally and professionally. We collaborate in the sense that our industry partners serve on panels and provide feedback while our students present their projects. They do everything from shaking our students’ hands, asking probing questions, and sharing insight into their company and future opportunities.
We’re really trying to get students comfortable working with and communicating with adults and are very intentional about what we do every day in this building. When it’s time for a student to interview, they feel confident and they’re able to talk about what they’re doing and are able to give examples of the research and problems that they’ve solved in class. We purposefully teach students the value of hard work and being a team player.
We really try to focus on those professional skills, and we use our employers to assist with that. It’s a win for our students but also our partners because they get to start identifying the next engineer, technician, or intern because they’ve started building those relationships.
AP: The skills gap continues to be a major concern in manufacturing. What strategies do you believe are most effective in bridging that gap, especially for entry-level roles?
KP: When you think about an entry-level role, a lot of times, students don’t know what that looks like or what that means. In their minds, they’ve already advanced themselves 20 years into their career. So, I think it’s very important for our local employers to share either through videos or by coming in person or bringing our students out to show what is actually available and potential paths for advancement.
Students are often limited to what they’ve been exposed to, and there are many job opportunities within an organization that students could fill. We’re starting to add a CNC machining component to our robotics, aerospace, clean energy, and automotive class to pair with the 3D design certification students earn in those classes. Teachers are integrating a variety of manufacturing related skills which allows students to discover interests they might not have considered and adds value to their entry-level positions.
AP: We see a lot of industry voices debating the best way to attract young people to manufacturing because it’s lost some appeal over the last few decades. How is the Innovation Center getting younger generations interested in manufacturing?
KP: There are a few ways. Students know the big names in the area, like BMW, which has a robust youth apprenticeship program that parents find appealing. Seniors can work in the training center as part of this program. We try to align our lab equipment to the manufacturing environment and have several industry-grade robots: Kuka, UR5, and Omaron. We highlight our “cool” equipment on social media, in videos, and take pieces to high schools to recruit. Students see the technology and get excited about working on something like that in class.
Another piece is helping students visualize modern manufacturing. If their granddad worked in manufacturing, it may have been a non-air-conditioned, dirty environment, much different from today’s clean, safety-oriented spaces with robots and machines. Career trajectories resonate with students whose goal is to earn a great salary, so we emphasize career paths, overtime, and different shift work. Meeting people is important for them as well, because we’ve seen numerous times that the right person can make an impact on students. It’s important for companies to utilize a diverse group in helping recruit talent because students need to connect and see themselves in a role.
AP: MAU conducted a survey recently and found that more than 50% of respondents viewed manufacturing as high tech. It’s not just an assembly line from the 50s anymore.
AP: How are economic development partners contributing to help inspire and train the next generation of talent?
KP: I have the 3D printer running right now because GADC reached out with an opportunity related to their annual summit in June. Max Stewart and his team did a tour of our facility, GADC played a big role in identifying the programs that were going to go into the center and several of their team serve on our industry advisory board. Max Stewart and his team offered a 3D design challenge for our students in which they used GADC’s vision and mission to create a desktop figurine that would be given out at the summit. A GADC rep came out last week to pick the winning design, and they will recognize her on stage at the annual summit.
We’ve met with and provided a tour to a good number of agencies, including Greenville City EDC, Greater Greer, Upstate Alliance, South Carolina Manufacturing Association, and Greenville Chamber of Commerce. We have a strong partnership with the Greenville Chamber through their Launch GVL internship program, and we have had a lot of success with 20 students of our students being selected for internships through that program this year. We are typically the GCS k-12 representative for economic development groups visiting Greenville from other states.
AP: That’s awesome. Do you think the industry is doing enough to reach and engage students?
KP: Some are, but others have not opened the door for a partnership to be created. For example, Greenville Drive hosts an Aerospace Night and Advanced Manufacturing & Engineering Night for Greenville County K-12 students, and the companies who attend go all out to showcase technology and engage students. There can be barriers in getting students under 18 into a facility, but even giving a virtual tour, or something to start connecting, is so important. Students typically do not have knowledge of many companies in the Upstate, so if you want to be able to recruit the top talent, you’ve got to get your name and brand in front of them.
This is a very loyal group. I know you hear that Gen Z is known for job-hopping, but we are learning they’re very loyal to people. Once the relationship is built and trust is there, they’ll go all in.
We do giveaways every year on the first day of school, and we bring our industry partners to greet the students. Mr. Bib, the Michelin Man, is there waving at them, and I tell all the partners: “Bring your swag!” Kids will go crazy for a water bottle or hat. It’s fun to see them with a Sage Automotive hat on or a Raymond Carolina backpack or a pen or a carabiner. That’s a great way for students to recognize companies.
When you first walk into our building, we have a large video wall with all of our partners’ logos. Students will stop and stare at that. Some of them will say, “What’s that company or what do they do?” It starts the conversation when an employee of that company is in our building.
We talk a lot to students about the work environment. As they’re deciding where they think they want to work, we ask them things like “Do you want to be a big fish in a small pond, or do you want to be a small fish in a big pond?” We go through the pros and cons of large companies versus smaller companies and based on their personalities, they start understanding that there are different opportunities where they could thrive.
AP: I know you guys are still relatively new, and you touched on this a little bit before. But how are you guys evolving to keep up with the seemingly endless changes and new developments with things like AI and automation?
KP: We rely heavily on conversation. Our advisory partners come in; each program has a group that they meet several times a year, and they look at everything from what certifications are relevant, how the equipment is changing, and what model robot is now being used. What skill set do students need? The teachers take really good notes, and it might be that we need to update a piece of equipment or shift what is currently being taught.
With AI, the teachers are trying to slowly introduce students to it. On the students’ Chromebooks, it’s blocked by our district, but teachers are trying to show them how they can use it appropriately. After our students recently learned CAD drawing and design, some teachers showed them what generative CAD could do and how AI can be used but there’s a need for the human side of it. It changes so quickly that at this point, it will be an annual assessment of what skills are still relevant and what needs to be changed.
AP: And then looking to the future, what’s your vision for how schools, employers, and communities can work together to transform the perception of manufacturing?
KP: I think we have a pretty good model here. I tell my teachers all the time; “if you don’t use them you lose them”, which means keeping our employers engaged and consistently telling these stories. There are companies right now that are giving their employees personal time off every time they come and volunteer with us, but also a good number of adults who, anytime we call, just want to come because they love being in this building and being around the energy that students bring. We’re sharing daily on social media and tagging high schools to reach a wide student base, but I think the companies sharing those stories as well are just as important. I use LinkedIn at this point, almost like a personal Facebook and tag and mention every company and/or individual who is partnered with us.
We did a test run this year of going into elementary schools with our students, and that’s another way of getting the word out sooner. Research shows that typically by middle school, kids have a good idea of what they want to do. If we’re waiting until they’re in 10th and 11th grade, a lot of times we’ve missed the boat simply because they didn’t know. I ran into a former student from Donaldson Career Center, who was in the aesthetics program and became a certified esthetician, but she was wearing a Good Sense Automation shirt. I asked if she was working there and she said, “Yes! I got out of high school and just realized there were new opportunities in the manufacturing sector.” She studied at Greenville Tech, earned her two-year degree, and completely shifted careers, stating she didn’t really know that was an option until after high school.
There’s always a chance to pique their interest early. Like I said earlier, it’s all about perception, and this is not your granddad’s manufacturing job. It’s modern. I’m blown away every time I tour a facility; it’s just such a cool environment to work in! Manufacturing is incredibly prevalent in the Upstate with many opportunities for our students.
For information on how to get involved at the CTE Innovation Center, check out https://greenville.k12.sc.us/innovation/ or contact Katie Porter at [email protected]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GCSInnovation
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gcsinnovation/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CTEInnovationCenter
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-porter-b9176974/
