Tri-County Alumnus Named Chair of Industrial
and Engineering Technology Division
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 9/23/2004
CONTACT: EUGENE GRANT, 646-1341
(By Lisa Garrett)
PENDLETON --- Eugene Grant, a Tri-County Technical College alumnus
and former instructor, is now leading the College's Industrial and Engineering
Technology Division.
 Grant
returned to his alma mater this month to head the College's technical
curriculum departments. They include: Electronics Engineering Technology,
Industrial Electronics Technology, General Technology, Machine Tool
Technology, Industrial Maintenance Technology, Heating Ventilation and
Air Conditioning Technology, Engineering Graphics Technology, Textile
Management Technology and Welding. The division prepares students with
the skills and knowledge necessary for employment in the manufacturing,
business and service sectors and provides employers with qualified personnel
to maintain a competitive edge in the global economy.
Grant spent the last eight years working at the Robert Bosch Corporation
as a team leader/apprentice supervisor, senior technical trainer and,
for the last two years, as senior equipment coordinator.
"It's nice to be back," said Grant, a 1990 alumnus of the
Electronics Engineering Technology (EET) curriculum and former instructor
for the Industrial Electronics Technology department from 1991 - 96.
"I always said that when Dr. Jim Wood retired as head of the I
& ET Division (Wood retired last December), I wanted to come back
in that leadership position to be able to impact the local industry
and its associates," he said.
"It's more than a job; it’s a passion," he said. "I
always enjoyed working with students at Tri-County and Bosch and receive
great satisfaction from helping people to grow and to develop,"
said Grant, who was named the outstanding graduate for the College's
EET department in 1990. "I wanted to come back to the college community
that helped me to grow and develop."
He went on to earn a B. S. in Industrial Education and a master's in
Industrial Education at Clemson University. In 1993 he was named Tri-County's
Educator of the Year.
In light of the U.S. Department of Labor's projected shortages in the
workforce over the next few years, due in part to retirements in the
current workforce, Grant says it is crucial that the Industrial and
Engineering Technology Division begins to focus its priorities. For
example, collaborative efforts with industry must be expanded, as well
as increased collaborations with four-year colleges/universities and
area high schools. Another priority is to increase enrollment in all
the division's departments. Grant says this may require that courses
be added to ensure that graduates have the work skills for the modern
technology used in today's industries. In addition, he says it is imperative
that evening classes be scheduled at off-site locations and more online
classes offered for the convenience of the students.
He also plans to broaden industry advisory committees and solicit members'
input on guiding the re-engineering of curricula so that it will meet
industry needs. "Strengthening industry relations is key to ensuring
that the College provides local industries with individuals qualified
for the job skills needed for high performance in the workplace,"
he said.
Grant's professional affiliations include membership in the American
Society for Training and Development (1996 - 2000), SC Bureau for Apprenticeship
and Training Board (1999 - 2002), American Society of Mechanical Engineering
(2001 - 2003), Williamston Career Center Advisory Board (2000 - 2002),
and the Technology Committee for School District 5, Anderson (2000 -
2002).
He is an active member of the Epsilon Pi Tau (honorary fraternity for
professions in technology) and the Society of Maintenance and Reliability
Professionals. He is member and chairman of the deacon board of Guthrie
Grove Church of God of the Abrahamic Faith. He and his wife, Lynda,
have two children and live in Williamston.
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