Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Higher Education topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Trident Technical College highlights workforce training in Dorchester, says it will not seek a millage increase
Summary
Trident Technical College (Dorchester Thompson campus) thanked the county for support, described partnerships with local K–12 districts and employers, highlighted workforce programs and credentials, and said it is not requesting a millage increase this year.
Marshall Connor, assistant vice president for economic development and dean of the Dorchester Thompson campus at Trident Technical College, spoke to the committee May 11 about the college’s role in workforce development and K–12 partnerships.
Connor described Operation Zero, a regional effort to connect graduates who are not college‑ or career‑ready to career pathways, and recounted that Trident awarded nearly 3,000 credentials countywide last year. He said the Dorchester Thompson campus serves several hundred county residents each term and noted strong dual‑enrollment ties with Dorchester District 2.
Connor outlined program strengths — HVAC, nursing prerequisites, early college credentials — and said Trident’s regional impact study shows strong economic returns from the technical college system. He also said the college is not seeking a millage increase this year and expressed appreciation for county allocations that support local campus operations and capital needs.
Council members asked about campus capacity, possible program expansion, and opportunities to align county workforce goals with Trident offerings; Connor said there is room for some expansion in afternoons and in specific CTE labs but constraints remain around specialized equipment and lab space.
The presentation concluded with discussion of ongoing partnerships (Chamber, CRDA, MUSC) and a campus renaming ceremony the college held in honor of Marian Thompson.
