From Textiles to Tech: How Rural South Carolina Trains Students for New Industry

Anderson Institute of Technology opened in 2019 as a collaboration between three of five Anderson County, S.C. school districts and local industry. It provides cutting-edge career and technical education to students from four high schools across Anderson Districts 3, 4 and 5, in hopes that those students will get real-world experience early on in their educational careers to be prepared for jobs in Anderson County industries — if that’s the route they choose.

The $34 million, 120,000-square-foot facility was funded by a voter-approved penny sales tax increase in 2014. Now, students who partake in AIT programs split their days between their home high schools and AIT, and earn credit towards graduation. Student learning at AIT is two-fold: half of their “classrooms” look traditional, and are set with tables and chairs, where the students learn core concepts that apply to their hands-on work. The other half is a “lab” that mimics a real-world work environment — like an automotive garage, aerospace engineering lab or surgery room.

“It’s all about giving kids a purpose in life,” said Don Herriott, a local business owner. “That education isn’t just about progressing to the next grade. It’s about preparing for your life and your future.”