Degree and Certificate Programs
South Carolina’s Universities and Technical Colleges offer degree and certificate programs to support South Carolina’s growing aviation industry.
University of South Carolina McNair Center for Aerospace Innovation and Research (Columbia, SC) 
USC is advancing innovation in education and workforce development by offering:
- Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering
- Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering
- Master of Engineering in Aerospace Engineering.
- Undergraduate Minor in Aerospace Engineering (Mechanical Engineering Department)
USC reaches out to younger students in middle and high schools all over South Carolina who are participating in rigorous and innovative science, technology, engineering and mathematics programs. By working together with the Challenger Center, the South Carolina Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics, IT-oLogy, Project Lead the Way and others, USC continues to open the world of exploration to young minds.
USC also offers other degrees related to aerospace:
- Master’s degree in Engineering Management
- Master’s degree in Systems Design
- Bachelor’s degree in Systems Design
Greenville Technical College (Greenville, SC)
Greenville Technical College offers a program in aircraft maintenance technology.
Trident Technical College (Charleston, SC)
Trident Technical College’s Aeronautical Studies Division offers programs in aircraft maintenance, aircraft assembly, and avionics maintenance.
The college is planning to build a $79 million aeronautical training center at its North Charleston campus. The 215,000-square-foot space would help train workers for the aeronautical cluster in the region and state. The college’s facility would provide training in aircraft assembly, aircraft maintenance, and avionics and expand the two-year college’s aeronautical curriculum.
The facility will include 130,000 square feet of classroom and laboratory space, a 50,000-square-foot open bay to accommodate aircraft, large aircraft parts, and training aids. Other newly built space would house shops for teaching skills in areas such as sheet metal work, composites, welding, engine, and painting, officials said.
Technical College of the Lowcountry (Beaufort, SC)
The Technical College of the Low Country is pleased to announce four programs for transitioning military members and veterans that will greatly enhance their marketability in today’s job market:
Aviation Maintenance Certificate: 17-credit hour program that thoroughly prepares experienced aircraft mechanics for the attainment of their FAA Mechanic’s License.
Aviation Structural Mechanic Certificate: 17-credit hour program that is designed for individuals who want to work in aerospace manufacturing, but who do not qualify for an FAA Mechanic’s License.
The Avionics & Electrical Technicians FCC Commercial Radio License Prep Course (EEM-265): prepares military avionics technicians and radio/electronics repair technicians to attain their General Radiotelephone Operator (Elements 1, 3 & 8 ) FCC license.
Horry Georgetown Technical College (Conway, Georgetown, Myrtle Beach, SC)
Horry Georgetown Tech offers an aviation maintenance program in partnership with the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics. Other technical schools offer courses in manufacturing, electronics, engineering, and logistics.
Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics (Myrtle Beach, SC)
PIA’s Myrtle Beach Campus is located at the International Technology and Aerospace Park, near Myrtle Beach International Airport. The 26,000 sq ft facility houses classrooms, a student resource center with a computer lab and publications library, and shop areas for aircraft propulsion systems, electricity, sheet metal, hydraulics, instruments & controls, composite materials, non-destructive testing, welding, and painting.
PIA’s airport location provides an ideal atmosphere for aviation training as well as aircraft accessibility to the school’s facilities. Program offerings include a 16-month certificate program in Aviation Maintenance Technology.
Embry Riddle Aeronautical University (Charleston and Beaufort, SC)
Embry-Riddle Worldwide offers diverse degrees and programs through three academic colleges and the Online Campus to suit your lifestyle. The online learning methods make college a viable option for students who are working, married, raising a family, in the military, or facing a career change. A variety of degree programs are offered from associate degrees to doctorate degrees.
South Carolina Technical College System
readySC™
An integral part of the South Carolina technical college system, readySC™ is 
one of the nation’s premier economic development training programs. readySC has trained over 5,000 aerospace workers for companies in South Carolina. For companies relocating to or expanding in South Carolina, readySC™ provides unparalleled start-up expertise, truly customized training solutions, and innovative training delivery at little to no cost. Through readySC™, these companies find the right people at the right time and train them with the right knowledge, skills, and abilities.
South Carolina’s 16 technical colleges’ partner with readySC to provide 
companies with customized programs that include recruiting, screening, and training at little or no cost, including:
- Customized workforce recruiting and testing
- Curriculum and materials development
- Innovative training design
- Hands-on project management support
Technical College System Offers Training to Aerospace Industry
The South Carolina Technical College System’s Division of Economic Development is running a pilot program for technical college instructors and aerospace suppliers to prepare for this future demand.
Topics will include:
- Composites
- FOD (Foreign Object Debris)/5S
- Structures Assembly
- Systems Installation
- Sealant Applications for Aerospace Assembly
Please visit the web site for the full schedule of classes and information on registration.
Apprenticeship Carolina™
Apprenticeship programs for youth and adults is a critical component of 
workforce development in South Carolina and many aerospace firms utilize these services as a vehicle to build their talent pipeline.
Created in 2007 to support business-sponsored registered apprenticeship programs, Apprenticeship Carolina™ works to ensure that all employers in South Carolina have access to the information and technical assistance they need to create demand-driven registered apprenticeship programs.
Apprenticeship consultants are available to guide companies through the registered apprenticeship development process from initial information to full recognition in the National Registered Apprenticeship System. Employers may also be eligible for an annual tax credit by participating in Apprenticeship Carolina.
The program works with organizations to:
- Help companies understand the registered apprenticeship training model
- Identify existing models for companies’ occupations of interest
- Connect companies with appropriate resources to assist with the apprenticeship program
- Develop Standards and Training & Education outlines based upon companies’ input
- Submit registration paperwork to the USDOL for full recognition in the National Registered Apprenticeship System
- Assist companies with program updates as workforce needs evolve
Apprenticeship Carolina™ has helped develop registered apprenticeship programs in companies across a wide variety of industries, including aerospace and aviation.
ADEX Machining Technology, Ahlstrom, Alcoa, Apex Tool Group, Cytec, Eaton, GE Aviation, Lockheed Martin, Michelin, Venture Aerobearings
Within the aerospace/aviation industry, Apprenticeship Carolina™ has helped companies develop apprenticeships for the following roles:
Aircraft Structural Maintenance Technician, CNC Operator, CNC Setup Programmer, E&I Technician, Electrician, Maintenance, Hydraulic Repairer, Machine Operator, Machinist, Maintenance Mechanic, Molder, Production Controller, Production Technologist, Quality Control Technician, Site Training Analyst
Degree and Certificate Programs
South Carolina’s Universities and Technical Colleges offer degree and certificate programs to support South Carolina’s growing aviation industry.
University of South Carolina McNair Center for Aerospace Innovation and Research (Columbia, SC)
USC is advancing innovation in education and workforce development by offering:
- Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering
- Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering
- Master of Engineering in Aerospace Engineering.
- Undergraduate Minor in Aerospace Engineering (Mechanical Engineering Department)
USC reaches out to younger students in middle and high schools all over South Carolina who are participating in rigorous and innovative science, technology, engineering and mathematics programs. By working together with the Challenger Center, the South Carolina Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics, IT-oLogy, Project Lead the Way and others, USC continues to open the world of exploration to young minds.
USC also offers other degrees related to aerospace:
- Master’s degree in Engineering Management
- Master’s degree in Systems Design
- Bachelor’s degree in Systems Design
Greenville Technical College (Greenville, SC)
Greenville Technical College offers a program in aircraft maintenance technology.
Trident Technical College (Charleston, SC)
Trident Technical College’s Aeronautical Studies Division offers programs in aircraft maintenance, aircraft assembly, and avionics maintenance.
The college is planning to build a $79 million aeronautical training center at its North Charleston campus. The 215,000-square-foot space would help train workers for the aeronautical cluster in the region and state. The college’s facility would provide training in aircraft assembly, aircraft maintenance, and avionics and expand the two-year college’s aeronautical curriculum.
The facility will include 130,000 square feet of classroom and laboratory space, a 50,000-square-foot open bay to accommodate aircraft, large aircraft parts, and training aids. Other newly built space would house shops for teaching skills in areas such as sheet metal work, composites, welding, engine, and painting, officials said.
Technical College of the Lowcountry (Beaufort, SC)
The Technical College of the Low Country is pleased to announce four programs for transitioning military members and veterans that will greatly enhance their marketability in today’s job market:
Aviation Maintenance Certificate: 17-credit hour program that thoroughly prepares experienced aircraft mechanics for the attainment of their FAA Mechanic’s License.
Aviation Structural Mechanic Certificate: 17-credit hour program that is designed for individuals who want to work in aerospace manufacturing, but who do not qualify for an FAA Mechanic’s License.
The Avionics & Electrical Technicians FCC Commercial Radio License Prep Course (EEM-265): prepares military avionics technicians and radio/electronics repair technicians to attain their General Radiotelephone Operator (Elements 1, 3 & 8 ) FCC license.
Horry Georgetown Technical College (Conway, Georgetown, Myrtle Beach, SC)
Horry Georgetown Tech offers an aviation maintenance program in partnership with the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics. Other technical schools offer courses in manufacturing, electronics, engineering, and logistics.
Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics (Myrtle Beach, SC)
PIA’s Myrtle Beach Campus is located at the International Technology and Aerospace Park, near Myrtle Beach International Airport. The 26,000 sq ft facility houses classrooms, a student resource center with a computer lab and publications library, and shop areas for aircraft propulsion systems, electricity, sheet metal, hydraulics, instruments & controls, composite materials, non-destructive testing, welding, and painting.
PIA’s airport location provides an ideal atmosphere for aviation training as well as aircraft accessibility to the school’s facilities. Program offerings include a 16-month certificate program in Aviation Maintenance Technology.
Embry Riddle Aeronautical University (Charleston and Beaufort, SC)
Embry-Riddle Worldwide offers diverse degrees and programs through three academic colleges and the Online Campus to suit your lifestyle. The online learning methods make college a viable option for students who are working, married, raising a family, in the military, or facing a career change. A variety of degree programs are offered from associate degrees to doctorate degrees.
South Carolina Technical College System
readySC™
An integral part of the South Carolina technical college system, readySC™ is one of the nation’s premier economic development training programs. readySC has trained over 5,000 aerospace workers for companies in South Carolina. For companies relocating to or expanding in South Carolina, readySC™ provides unparalleled start-up expertise, truly customized training solutions, and innovative training delivery at little to no cost. Through readySC™, these companies find the right people at the right time and train them with the right knowledge, skills, and abilities.
South Carolina’s 16 technical colleges’ partner with readySC to provide companies with customized programs that include recruiting, screening, and training at little or no cost, including:
- Customized workforce recruiting and testing
- Curriculum and materials development
- Innovative training design
- Hands-on project management support
Technical College System Offers Training to Aerospace Industry
The South Carolina Technical College System’s Division of Economic Development is running a pilot program for technical college instructors and aerospace suppliers to prepare for this future demand.
Topics will include:
- Composites
- FOD (Foreign Object Debris)/5S
- Structures Assembly
- Systems Installation
- Sealant Applications for Aerospace Assembly
Please visit the web site for the full schedule of classes and information on registration.
Apprenticeship Carolina™
Apprenticeship programs for youth and adults is a critical component of workforce development in South Carolina and many aerospace firms utilize these services as a vehicle to build their talent pipeline.
Created in 2007 to support business-sponsored registered apprenticeship programs, Apprenticeship Carolina™ works to ensure that all employers in South Carolina have access to the information and technical assistance they need to create demand-driven registered apprenticeship programs.
Apprenticeship consultants are available to guide companies through the registered apprenticeship development process from initial information to full recognition in the National Registered Apprenticeship System. Employers may also be eligible for an annual tax credit by participating in Apprenticeship Carolina.
The program works with organizations to:
- Help companies understand the registered apprenticeship training model
- Identify existing models for companies’ occupations of interest
- Connect companies with appropriate resources to assist with the apprenticeship program
- Develop Standards and Training & Education outlines based upon companies’ input
- Submit registration paperwork to the USDOL for full recognition in the National Registered Apprenticeship System
- Assist companies with program updates as workforce needs evolve
Apprenticeship Carolina™ has helped develop registered apprenticeship programs in companies across a wide variety of industries, including aerospace and aviation.
ADEX Machining Technology, Ahlstrom, Alcoa, Apex Tool Group, Cytec, Eaton, GE Aviation, Lockheed Martin, Michelin, Venture Aerobearings
Within the aerospace/aviation industry, Apprenticeship Carolina™ has helped companies develop apprenticeships for the following roles:
Aircraft Structural Maintenance Technician, CNC Operator, CNC Setup Programmer, E&I Technician, Electrician, Maintenance, Hydraulic Repairer, Machine Operator, Machinist, Maintenance Mechanic, Molder, Production Controller, Production Technologist, Quality Control Technician, Site Training Analyst