College History

COLLEGE HISTORY

One of South Carolina’s largest two-year colleges, Midlands Technical College enrolls approximately 11,000 students seeking to develop career-skills or transfer to a four-year institution. With the latest technology and a diverse learning environment, the college makes higher education affordable, convenient and readily accessible. Midlands Technical College prides itself on excellence in curriculum, staffing, equipment and service to its student body and the Midlands.

MTC is comprised of four campuses, including the Beltline, Airport, Harbison and the new Enterprise Campus located adjacent to the Carolina Research Park in Northeast Columbia. The Enterprise Campus at Midlands Technical College presents an innovative opportunity for enhancing economic vitality by recruiting and retaining regional business expansions through public-private partnerships. The campus consists of 100 developable acres adjacent to the MTC Center of Excellence for Technology that will benefit growing new companies by accelerating their development. The MTC Center of Excellence for Technology is the anchor facility on the Enterprise Campus. This 50,000 square foot facility is one of the Southeast’s largest and most advanced metalworking training facilities. The college also has a location at Fort Jackson.

Midlands Technical College offers approximately one hundred associate degree, diploma and certificate programs of study, and an estimated 70 percent of the courses are in the career program area. A strong college transfer program has evolved to allow students the opportunity to take the first two years of a baccalaureate degree and transfer to one of the state’s four-year institutions. Midlands Technical College is currently the largest feeder college to Columbia College and the University of South Carolina-Columbia.

Midlands Technical College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097; telephone number 404 679-4501) to award associate degrees, diplomas and certificates.

The college currently provides a variety of educational opportunities that support its mission of human resource development in support of economic growth in its service region. The Continuing Education Division provides continuing education opportunities to more than 30,000 individuals annually and is one of the largest providers of noncredit professional upgrade training of any two-year college in the state.

The present-day Midlands Technical College is the product of a rich and unique history. In 1947, the South Carolina Area Trade Schools (SCATS) Act established the South Carolina Area Trade School - Columbia Campus. In 1968, the name was changed to Columbia Technical Education Center (TEC) and it became part of the State Committee for Technical Education, which was responsible for guiding the technical programs in the state. The site of Columbia TEC is now the Airport Campus of Midlands Technical College where approximately 5,536students were enrolled during Fall Semester 2004.

Richland Technical Education Center (Richland TEC) was established in 1963. By 1969, the enrollment of the school expanded to 1,200 students and Lexington County officials joined forces with Richland County to form the Richland-Lexington Counties Commission for Technical Education. With this partnership, the name of the school was changed to Midlands TEC. Approximately 15,500 students were enrolled in Midlands TEC between the years of 1969 and 1974. Major programs of study were offered in the areas of engineering technology, business and allied health. Midlands TEC (originally Richland TEC) is now the site of the Beltline Campus and the campus enrolled approximately 4,232 students in Fall Semester 2004.

Columbia’s Palmer College, a private business college, joined with the State TEC Board in 1973. At that time, Palmer College annually enrolled 1,000 students in sixteen associate degree and diploma programs. On March 21, 1973, Columbia TEC, Midlands TEC, and Palmer College merged to form a single, multi-campus college that would operate as three separate entities governed by one local commission through June 1974. On July 1 of 1974, the three separate institutions merged to form Midlands Technical College (MTC) under the guidance of the Richland- Lexington Counties Commission.


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COLLEGE HISTORY One of South Carolina’s largest two-year colleges, Midlands Technical College enrolls approximately 11,000 students seeking to develop career-skills or transfer to a four-year institution. With the latest technology and a diverse learning environment, the college makes higher education affordable, convenient and readily accessible. Midlands Technical College prides itself on excellence in curriculum, staffing, equipment and service to its student body and the Midlands. MTC is comprised of four campuses, including the Beltline, Airport, Harbison and the new Enterprise Campus located adjacent to the Carolina Research Park in Northeast Columbia. The Enterprise Campus at Midlands Technical College presents an innovative opportunity for enhancing economic vitality by recruiting and retaining regional business expansions through public-private partnerships. The campus consists of 100 developable acres adjacent to the MTC Center of Excellence for Technology that will benefit growing new companies by accelerating their development. The MTC Center of Excellence for Technology is the anchor facility on the Enterprise Campus. This 50,000 square foot facility is one of the Southeast’s largest and most advanced metalworking training facilities. The college also has a location at Fort Jackson. Midlands Technical College offers approximately one hundred associate degree, diploma and certificate programs of study, and an estimated 70 percent of the courses are in the career program area. A strong college transfer program has evolved to allow students the opportunity to take the first two years of a baccalaureate degree and transfer to one of the state’s four-year institutions. Midlands Technical College is currently the largest feeder college to Columbia College and the University of South Carolina-Columbia. Midlands Technical College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097; telephone number 404 679-4501) to award associate degrees, diplomas and certificates. The college currently provides a variety of educational opportunities that support its mission of human resource development in support of economic growth in its service region. The Continuing Education Division provides continuing education opportunities to more than 30,000 individuals annually and is one of the largest providers of noncredit professional upgrade training of any two-year college in the state. The present-day Midlands Technical College is the product of a rich and unique history. In 1947, the South Carolina Area Trade Schools (SCATS) Act established the South Carolina Area Trade School - Columbia Campus. In 1968, the name was changed to Columbia Technical Education Center (TEC) and it became part of the State Committee for Technical Education, which was responsible for guiding the technical programs in the state. The site of Columbia TEC is now the Airport Campus of Midlands Technical College where approximately 5,536students were enrolled during Fall Semester 2004. Richland Technical Education Center (Richland TEC) was established in 1963. By 1969, the enrollment of the school expanded to 1,200 students and Lexington County officials joined forces with Richland County to form the Richland-Lexington Counties Commission for Technical Education. With this partnership, the name of the school was changed to Midlands TEC. Approximately 15,500 students were enrolled in Midlands TEC between the years of 1969 and 1974. Major programs of study were offered in the areas of engineering technology, business and allied health. Midlands TEC (originally Richland TEC) is now the site of the Beltline Campus and the campus enrolled approximately 4,232 students in Fall Semester 2004. Columbia’s Palmer College, a private business college, joined with the State TEC Board in 1973. At that time, Palmer College annually enrolled 1,000 students in sixteen associate degree and diploma programs. On March 21, 1973, Columbia TEC, Midlands TEC, and Palmer College merged to form a single, multi-campus college that would operate as three separate entities governed by one local commission through June 1974. On July 1 of 1974, the three separate institutions merged to form Midlands Technical College (MTC) under the guidance of the Richland- Lexington Counties Commission.