An inside look at NCCC’s program offerings | Newberry Observer

NEWBERRY — The Newberry County Career Center (NCCC) is a school for career and technical education with specialized development career courses offered to Mid-Carolina High, Newberry High and Whitmire High school students.

NCCC also has programs that align with 13 of the 16 identified career and technology education (CTE) Clusters in South Carolina and offers 23 specialized majors. Students who attend NCCC for two years will receive a completers certificate upon successful completion of their program, as well as the opportunity to attain a number of industry-recognized certifications.

Here is a brief look at what NCCC offers:

Architecture and Construction

Two majors fall under the architecture and construction program, those are building construction and electricity. Building construction deals with the construction of buildings or engineering projects, preparations of sites for new construction and building sites. Those in the electricity program learn to install, maintain and repair electrical power and control systems. These are both two-year programs.

Business Management and Administration

The business management and administration program includes two majors as well, business information management and general management. Business information management prepares students to apply technology skills to personal and workplace business situations. General management gives an overview of the business world, including the topics such as business administration, economics and international management. Both are two-year programs.

Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources

NCCC also offers the agriculture, food and natural resources program allowing students to major in either animal science or crop management. Agriculture is the science, art and occupation of producing crops, raising livestock and cultivating the soil. These students also participate in the Future Farmers of America program (FFA) which offers a multitude of extracurricular opportunities.

Informational Technology

The business department also offers aninformation technology program with majors in web and digital communications and computer programming. Both of these two-year programs study ways to develop and create computer-based information systems like software applicators and computer hardware.

Arts, A/V Technology and Communications

The arts, A/V technology, and communications program offers students the major of architectural and mechanical design, which involves learning computer-aided design and drafting (CADD) skills. These skills are utilized by, but not limited to, drafters, architects, technicians, bridge designers, site developers and 3-D animators. This is also a two-year program.

Human Services

The Human Services program offers students the opportunity to major in cosmetology and become a licensed cosmetologist before they even graduate from high school. During this two-year program, cosmetology students study all areas of cosmetology, but may choose to specialize in hair, nails, makeup or skincare.

Law, Public Safety, Corrections and Security

The law, public safety, corrections and security program offers majors in firefighter or law enforcement services. Firefighter courses teach students how to control and put out fires, respond to emergencies where life, property or the environment is at risk. These students are fully-licensed firefighters upon completion of the program. Law enforcement students learn the ins-and-outs of enforcing laws, maintaining public order and managing public order/safety.

Marketing, Sales and Services

NCCC also offers a marketing, sales and services program with marketing communicationsas a major. This two-year program concentrates on a company’s marketing efforts, including advertising, direct marketing, branding, packaging, online presence, printed materials, public relations activities, sales presentations, sponsorships and trade show appearances.

Health Science

Health science technology offers students several majors to choose from, including health science technology, biomedical technology and sports medicine. Health science is the field of applied science that relates to human and animal health and concentrates on understanding how humans and animals function in order to improve health and manage and cure diseases. Biomedical science is a Project Lead the Way (PLTW) course uses scientific research to improve human health, designed studies to test and develop social programs that can improve outcomes in the health of the population. Finally, sports medicine deals with physical fitness and treatment to help prevent injuries related to sports/exercise. These are two to three-year programs.

Transportation, Distribution and Logistics

NCCC’s transportation, distribution and logistics program offers two majors, automotive collision repair and automotive technology. Automotive collison repair, focuses on improving the appearance and functionality of vehicles, while automotive technology focuses on the inspection, maintenance and repair of vehicles. Both are two-year programs. However, automotive technology’s second year also earns the student dual-enrollment credit at Piedmont Technical College.

Manufacturing

The manufacturing program also offers several majors to students attending the NCCC, including machine technology, welding technology and mechatronics integrated technologies. Machine Technology involves controlling equipment with advanced technology, usually involving electronic hardware. Welding is a fabrication process whereby two or more parts are fused together using heat or pressure, as the parts cool. Machine technology and welding technology are both two-year programs. The last field, mechatronics integrated technologies, is a multidisciplinary field involves skill sets needed in the contemporary, advanced automated manufacturing industry, including mechanics, electronics and computing. This one-year program earns students dual-enrollment credit at Piedmont Technical College.

Hospitality and Tourism

The hospitality and tourism management major involves overseeing the day-to-day administrative, operational, and commercial activities of businesses in the hospitality industry. This two-year program covers industries such as food beverages, travel, accommodation and event management, includes an internship at a local hospitality venue, and students have the opportunity to earn an industry-recognized hospitality certification.

Science Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM)

Under the STEM program, falls pre-engineering major, a PLTW course. This two-year program gives students a first-hand look into the competitive world of engineering and combine higher-level math, science, and engineering concepts in order to better prepare them for college.