Midlands Technical College Holds Graduation for BOOM Construction Training Program

Midlands Technical College (MTC) held a graduation ceremony on May 7, 2026, for the Building Occupational Opportunities in the Midlands (BOOM) program. This year, nine students graduated with a 15-hour Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) certificate and a Residential Construction certificate. The graduates represent four school districts from around the Midlands including Lexington School District One, Richland School District Two, Lexington-Richland District Five, and Richland One. 

Graduate Ryan Robinson from White Knoll High School addressed his classmates and audience during the ceremony. Robinson spoke about the skills he learned during the program and how building a house relates to valuable life lessons. 

“When you build a house, you start with the foundation,” said Robinson. “The next step after the foundation comes the flooring and walls that keep the house sturdy. These are the skills we learned from the BOOM program. Skills like how to use your tools properly, but more than just building something, we learned about teamwork, communication, and being focused.” 

Program Director Rose-Lynn Heath (left) stands proudly behind BOOM Graduate Ryan Robinson (right) as he delivers keynote speech.
 

Program Director Rose-Lynn Heath shared her excitement and gratitude for the program and its newest graduating class. 

“Seeing them learn something they didn’t know how to do before, and just empower them, how they interact with each other, with the instructor, has been exciting.” 

The BOOM program was started in 2019 and is a construction job-training program for high school students with disabilities, allowing them to receive hands-on, real-world experience in the construction field. BOOM was made possible thanks to a grant from Apprenticeship Carolina and cooperation between Lexington District One, Lexington-Richland District Five, Richland School Districts One and Two, Midlands Education and Business Alliance, S.C. Vocational Rehabilitation, and the Building Industry Association of Central South Carolina. 

Learn more about MTC's programs in Building Construction at MIDLANDSTECH.EDU.