Press Releases

(Seneca, S.C.) - Apprenticeship Carolina, an integral part of the SC Technical College System, announced today that Greenfield Industries, a subsidiary of TDC Cutting Tools Company, has established two registered apprenticeship programs for CNC Operators and Maintenance Technicians.

“As a world leader in the high speed steel cutting tool industry, maintaining superior quality is of utmost importance.  We are committed to providing the skills development and training necessary to ensure that we meet our customers’ needs as well as develop our employees’ diverse talents, initiative and leadership skills,” said Julie Cook, senior talent development specialist at Greenfield Industries.  “These registered apprenticeship programs align extremely well with our company’s goals and are essential for the continued growth and success of our company.”

An apprenticeship is a time-tested method of employee development that combines supervised on-the-job learning and job-related education.  A program “registered” with the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) shows an employer’s visible commitment to developing a high-quality workforce that meets nationally recognized training standards. Registered apprenticeship programs also enable employees to receive incremental wage increases as they demonstrate new competencies throughout the training program. The apprenticeship programs will use Tri-County Technical College’s CNC Operator and Mechatronics programs as the primary education source.

Since its inception in 2007, Apprenticeship Carolina has played a key role in growing apprenticeship participation across the state.  The number of participating organizations has grown from 90 to nearly 650, and the number of apprentices has grown from 777 to almost 10,000.   The growth in Tri-County Technical College’s service area is no exception with 56 registered programs.

“The effectiveness of apprenticeship as a career development tool is becoming quite clear in South Carolina.  Through the work of Apprenticeship Carolina, the number of companies with registered programs has grown exponentially. And, it shows no sign of slowing,” said Brad Neese, director of Apprenticeship Carolina. “As more organizations across the state begin to realize the benefits of registered apprenticeship, Apprenticeship Carolina and the technical colleges of South Carolina look forward to providing them with the necessary assistance and training.”  

[Pictured: Front (l to r): Bobby Densmore/VP Operations; Lillian Kimble/CNC Operator.  Back (l to r): Jesse Mosso/Supervisor; Jeff Smith/Maintenance Technician; Julie Cook/Senior Talent Development Manager; Anthony Tosti/Chief Financial Officer]

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About Greenfield Industries:

Greenfield Industries was acquired by TDC Cutting Tools Company in 2009. It has held a leadership role in the cutting tools industry for more than 100 years and its name is synonymous with quality manufacturing of cutting tools. Greenfield’s U.S. and Canadian headquarters are located in Seneca, SC. Greenfield employs over 300 employees in the U.S. and Canada.

About TDC Cutting Tools Company (TDC):

Established in 1995, TDC Cutting Tools Company is one of the fastest growing cutting tool companies in the world and is the world market leader for high speed steel cutting tools. TDC employs around 3000 employees worldwide, produces over 300 million tools and 6000 miles of saw blades annually.  Headquarters for all worldwide operations outside of China including Germany, France, Switzerland, Mexico, Canada, Brazil, Australia and the U.S. are currently being established in Seneca, SC.

About Apprenticeship Carolina:

An integral part of the SC Technical College System, Apprenticeship Carolina works to ensure 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. These services are available to South Carolina employers free of charge. Interested employers are encouraged to contact Apprenticeship Carolina at (803) 896-5287 or to visit www.apprenticeshipcarolina.com.