Catch up on what has been happening
at Piedmont Tech. Articles in this
News Archive have been released by the Office of College
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January 2006
Free Self-Assessment Tests Could Help Adults Discover Fulfilling Career
Posted December 18, 2006, By Laura Garrett
 Having trouble deciding what you want to be when you grow up? What if you’re already grown up? Piedmont Technical College’s Saluda County Center will be offering free sessions beginning in January to help adults discover careers that will be both satisfying and fulfilling. Make plans now to attend one of the sessions on Jan. 3, Feb. 7 or Mar. 7, starting at 6:30 p.m.
Sheryl Price
Maffett, a career transition specialist with PTC, will help participants complete a self-assessment of interests, skills and work values through the internet-based Kuder system. “I was blessed as a child,” said
Maffett. “My parents told me that I could be anything that I wanted to be. Unfortunately, they didn’t warn me that I couldn’t be everything that I wanted to be!”
According to Maffett, the Kuder system helps individuals identify their strengths, study and refine their options and focus on an appropriate path. Backed by more than 65 years of research, the Kuder system is scientifically based, and the reliability of the results has been proven to be greater than 85 percent. Reliability only increases with the age of the person completing the assessments.
The Saluda County Center’s off-campus coordinator Robin Black agreed with Maffett. “I’ve seen people use this system, and it’s very beneficial,” she explained. “If you aren’t sure of the career path you want to pursue, this assessment is certainly worth your time and effort.”
Space is limited to 10 participants. To reserve a seat or for more information about the sessions held on the first Wednesday evening of each month, call the center at (864) 445-3144. Although Piedmont Tech will be closed for the holidays Dec. 20 – Jan. 1, beginning Jan. 2 the Saluda Center will be open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday – Thursday. For more information, contact Black at black.r@ptc.edu or Maffett at
maffett.s@ptc.edu.
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Caption: Sheryl Maffett, a career transition specialist at Piedmont Technical College, walks Jane McCall of Clarks Hill through a career assessment test. PTC’s Saluda County Center plans to offer free sessions to help adults discover satisfying careers. Upcoming dates are Jan. 3, Feb. 7 and Mar. 7, starting at 6:30 p.m. Call (864) 445-3144 to reserve a spot.
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From Nursing Assistant to Ward Secretary to Instructor
Posted
December 18,
2006, By Cora
Blair
 Darlene Johnson started her career in health care as a nursing assistant and then became a ward secretary, but she never stopped learning. Today she is the Nursing IT (Information Technology) Application Specialist at Self Regional Healthcare.
Johnson knows first hand what it takes to be a successful ward secretary, and she’s also the one who interviews and hires people to fill those positions at Self. She plans to share her expertise in the role of ward secretary, a position also known as health unit coordinator, in a continuing education course beginning Jan. 16 at Piedmont Technical College. She will instruct the 10-week Health Unit Coordinator course, which meets Tuesdays from 6-10 p.m. at the Greenwood campus.
“Anyone looking for a challenge would be a good candidate for the course,” she said. “A person can start working as a health unit coordinator and then progress to additional responsibilities. At Self, tuition assistance is available, and individuals can go back to school and better themselves. We’re all about education here at Self.”
Currently, Self employs 132 ward secretaries, and there are openings for eight more, Johnson said. Training for Health Unit Coordinator, combined with credentials as a Certified Nursing Assistant, will also qualify individuals to apply for Secretary Tech positions at Self Regional.
One of the hardest things students will have to learn is how to read physicians’ handwriting, she said. “As a former secretary, I will tell them how the job was then and how it is now, and I have found that one of the hardest things they will face is reading a doctor’s handwriting,” she said. “Ninety-five percent of the job is transcription of handwritten doctors’ orders.”
The secretarial position includes responsibilities for admissions, patient orders, pharmacy and everything else needed to keep the job running smoothly, she noted. Each floor of Self’s hospital is self-sufficient with copiers, faxes and printers.
“The training course includes three days of clinicals at the hospital, and that’s important because not everyone will like this kind of work. This is the time to find out what it’s all about,” she explained. The students will sit with experienced ward secretaries and shadow them for three days. This also gives the hospital a chance to evaluate students as potential employees.
Students must be at least 18 years old, have a high school diploma or GED, and have basic computer skills. “We will teach them the programs they will use on the computer, but they must know the basics of using a computer,” she explained. Also, age doesn’t matter as long as the minimum is met, she said.
Johnson moved to Greenwood from Pittsburgh in 1978. She worked as a nursing assistant until 1983. Then, following an injury, she worked as a ward secretary until 1999, during which time she transitioned to computer responsibilities.
“When a computer problem occurred on the floor, I would watch the computer guys fix it or they would talk me through it over the phone,” she said. “In 1999, the vice president of nursing asked if I wanted to go to Texas to learn to program. In reality, the training with McKesson (the computer training company) involved building the system and maintaining it.”
Since that time, Johnson has made a name for herself in computer technology at the hospital, and she has also continued to hire, train and oversee the staff of ward secretaries. “Most of the secretaries work 12-hour shifts, depending on the hospital unit, and the shift may or may not be busy, but they must understand that they have 12 hours to get their work done,” she said.
It probably goes without saying that Johnson works long hours and is known to take work home after hours. She’s a gadget person and especially likes working with computers. She has other interests, including photography and poetry.
She has been writing poetry since she was about 10 years old and once tried to publish a book of sonnets. That, she said, is something she might continue to work on when she retires, but that may be a while from now. Plenty of projects in the making at Self will keep her busy.
For more information about the Health Unit Coordinator course Johnson will teach at PTC, please call Deborah Hoffman, Piedmont’s health care program manager at (864) 941-8426.
Photo
Caption: Darlene Johnson, Nursing IT Application Specialist at Self Regional Healthcare, checks with Stlina Coleman of Abbeville, about her duties as ward secretary in orthopedics at the hospital. Johnson will train health unit coordinators (also known as ward secretaries) in a course starting January 16 at Piedmont Technical College. Coleman is a graduate of an earlier ward secretary training program at Piedmont.
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Long-time Human Resource Professional Honored at Local Meeting
Posted December 18, 2006, By Laura Garrett
 Lee Foltz, rear center, who is retiring at the end of the year as human resource director at the Burton Center, was honored at the Christmas meeting of the Piedmont Area Human Resource Association at Piedmont Technical College on Dec. 12. Foltz is widely known in the Greenwood area for his work in the field of human resources. He currently serves as the association’s advisor and Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Foundation chair. Pictured are Ruby McCier, association secretary; Casey Tompkins, past president; Johanna Gunter, public relations chair; Janet Harris, assistant treasure and membership chair; Foltz; Boo Ramage, president; Jane Hanvey, education chair; Amanda Brock, treasurer; and Frank Setzler, legislative chair. The Edgewood Middle School Honors Chorus from Ninety Six entertained the members with holiday songs.
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SCLN Honors Piedmont Tech Nursing Instructors
Posted December 13,
2006, By
Nancy Hall
 At the South Carolina League for Nursing’s recent annual awards banquet, four Piedmont Technical College instructors were honored for excellence in education.
Associate’s degree nursing instructor Teresa Berry received SCLN’s Award for Excellence, presented annually to outstanding nurses who contribute to the quality of health care in our state. Berry, who is a Saluda resident, exemplifies the qualities shared by recipients, according to dean of nursing education Rebecca King.
“Very specific criteria and standards apply to this particular award,” King explained. “It is not enough to be competent in one’s field; the successful recipient exhibits expertise, of course. But he or she must show great enthusiasm for the vocation, a strong desire to share knowledge with others, a large measure of eloquence and a dash of humor.”
Hours of thought, preparation and practice go into excellence in teaching, King continued, and Teresa Berry has mastered those arts. “This instructor makes nursing content come alive. She approaches each student individually to determine specific needs and assists each one in reaching educational and career goals successfully. She is an innovator, a team player and a mentor for her peers. She challenges both her students and her colleagues to stretch beyond their comfort zones, and in that process, she sets exceptionally high standards for herself and others.”
Holisa Wharton and Karen Standish brought home second place honors for their project: “Integration of the Internet and Human Patient Simulators.” Wharton is the simulation lab coordinator, and Standish is an instructor in
ADN.
Although clinical practice is an integral part of nursing education, faculty shortages and increased demands on agencies that provide clinical experience have necessitated innovative techniques. This initiative helps students get the most from clinical experience while providing optimum safety by interacting with a computerized patient simulator. Teachers use WebQuest, a guided Internet inquiry, to reinforce instructional content.
ADN instructor Tara Harris’s senior organizational program, which earned third place, was created within a senior-level Leadership and Management nursing class. The project assigned each student a prescribed management position (from chief executive office to charge nurse). With the purpose of utilizing leadership and management concepts and applying them realistically within a community setting, the project offered participants the opportunity to create an organizational name, mission, vision, philosophy and organizational chart, as well as job descriptions, budget requests, contingency plans and goals, along with outcome measurement. Benefits went not only to students, but also to individuals aged five to 85 whose quality of life was improved.
The South Carolina League for Nursing has been successful in supporting and improving nursing education in the state for more than 30 years, and it is currently one of 20 constituent organizations in the National League for Nursing. King is a member of SCLN’s Board of Directors and is a member of the National League for Nurses.
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Caption: Saluda resident Teresa Berry, center, received the South Carolina League for Nursing’s Award for Excellence. She is an instructor in the Associate’s Degree Nursing program at Piedmont Technical College. With her are Becky King, dean of Nursing Education, and college president Dr. Lex D. Walters. Instructors Holisa Wharton, Karen Standish and Tara Harris were also recognized for innovative teaching techniques.
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New Mini-farming Series to be offered in Saluda
Posted
December 12,
2006, By Cora
Blair
 The idea of farming on a small scale is taking hold in the Lakelands area as people are investing in rural property and creating their own versions of life on a farm. Because of the growth of “mini-farms” in the area, Piedmont Technical College is developing a series of workshops to provide information and assistance to people who are getting started with growing vegetables, raising livestock and managing tree forests.
Classes in the “Mini-farm Series” will run from February through November at the PTC Saluda County Center. A different topic will be covered in each set of five modules that meet once a week for six weeks on Tuesdays from 7-9:30 p.m. Cost will be $100 per module. For those who enroll in at least one module, an additional bonus class on business planning and management will be available at no cost.
Information about growing fruits and vegetables for farmers’ markets will be the topic of the first module. Fred Broughton, manager of the Small Farms Program of the S.C. Department of Agriculture, will facilitate the meetings, which will be held Feb. 6-Mar. 13. Natural and organic production of crops will be discussed.
Livestock management will be the topic for Module 2. Dr. John Irwin of the Clemson Extension Service will conduct the workshops Mar. 20-Apr. 24. Sessions will cover the livestock industry in South Carolina, including specific information about beef cattle, goats, sheep, horses and swine. Feeding and health issues will also be discussed.
Module 3 will be on Forestry Management with Jimmy Walters of the S.C. Forestry Commission in charge of the sessions. Classes will meet May 8-June 5. Growing both pine and hardwood trees will be topics of interest.
Wildlife management will be covered in Module 4. Leslie Hawkins of the Department of Natural Resources will lead the workshops which are scheduled Aug. 7-Sept. 18. These sessions will include management of white-tail deer, wild turkey, small game, waterfowl and other wildlife. Fish pond management will also be covered.
Kathryn White, PTC Horticulture instructor, will present the sessions on horticulture running from Sept. 25-Oct. 30. She will discuss soils, plant nutrition, greenhouse and nursery production tips and pesticides.
The series will end on Nov. 6 with a special one-evening session on the business side of managing a farm. Toby Boring of the Clemson Extension Service will cover the basics of setting up a business plan for running a farm.
More information about the workshops is available on the PTC Web site at www.ptc.edu/ag. To register for any or all of the modules, please call Piedmont Tech at (864) 941-8400 or toll-free at 1-800-868-5528. Online registration is available at www.ptc.edu/ag. Online registrants will then be contacted to complete the registration process.
Photo
Caption: A new series of workshops on mini-farming is being planned by Piedmont Technical College and local agricultural agencies. The series will start in February at PTC’s Saluda County Center. Among those assisting in the planning are, from left, Kathryn White, PTC Horticulture instructor; Marion Bledsoe, PTC Horticulture program coordinator; Jeanne Hughston, PTC conference coordinator; Toby Boring, Clemson Extension Service; and Fred Broughton, manager of the Small Farms Program, S.C. Department of Agriculture.
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Convenient Training Available at PTC for Industrial Maintenance Technicians
Posted
December 12,
2006, By Cora
Blair
 Industrial Control Systems Training for maintenance technicians is now available at Piedmont Technical College. This top level-training is the next step for technicians who want to move ahead in the maintenance field.
The course is offered through the PRIMEed blended learning program, which combines online training with hands-on lab experience. “The PRIMEed series of training programs is utilized by more than 20 companies in the area, and we expect it to grow, especially with new grant money available for this kind of training,” according to Keith Lasure, dean of Tech’s Engineering and Industrial Technology Division.
The program includes 44 online courses and 18 labs. It will be especially helpful for technicians involved with control systems, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), networks, instrumentation, field devices, variable speed drives, fiber optic systems and troubleshooting.
The program’s PLC courses are also available for anyone who wants only that training. An individual may enroll for the full ICS training at a cost of $995 or the PLC training for $500.
The PRIMEed program is popular with area industries because of the cost-effectiveness and on-demand availability of Web-delivered training with the assurance of hands-on skills validation, Lasure explained.
As today’s companies are being asked to do more with less, employees need more skills to increase productivity, Lasure said. PRIMEed offers a workable solution for people to train online on their own schedules. Labs can be scheduled on the Greenwood campus to complete the training sessions.
For more information about the Industrial Control Systems Training, contact Lasure at (864) 941-8687 or Roger Laughlin at (864) 941-8499.
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Caption: Roger Laughlin, instructor in Industrial Maintenance Technology at Piedmont Technical College, is shown with new training equipment for industrial control systems. A course for maintenance technicians responsible for troubleshooting and maintaining advanced systems is available at Piedmont Technical College through the PRIMEed blended learning program which combines online training with hands-on lab experience.
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Piedmont Tech Receives Robot Donation from BMW
Posted December 12, 2006, By Laura Garrett
 Students in the Mechanical Engineering Technology and Welding programs at Piedmont Technical College will soon benefit from the use of two robots donated by BMW Manufacturing Co. Piedmont Tech is one of ten technical colleges in the state to receive one or more of the Model 4400 ABB robots, which were previously used at BMW’s Spartanburg facility to manufacture the first generation X5 SUVs.
With a new set of robots in place and manufacturing the second generation of X5 models, these six-year-old robots will now be given new life. Standing approximately six feet high with a reach of more than six feet, the machines will be reconfigured to serve as educational training tools.
According to Keith Lasure, dean of industrial technologies at PTC, the robots are A/C Servo Drive units manufactured with steel arms and double bearing joints. These components are all controlled through network interfaces and a programmable logic controller (PLC) – the “brain” controlling the robot’s motion.
“The robots have six axes, so they are extremely flexible,” said Lasure. Valued at approximately $100,000 each, Lasure called the robots incredibly sophisticated. “They are much more advanced than earlier machines,” he explained. “They are easier and faster to program.”
One robot will be used for students in mechanical engineering technology and be interfaced with a conveyor system to create a real-life assembly operation including sensors, PLCs and field device interfaces. “The opportunity to simulate an automated manufacturing process using real equipment and components that graduates can expect to encounter in the workplace is invaluable,” Lasure said.
The other robot will be installed with fixtures and safety devices to create a “Mig-Welding” station for performing horizontal and vertical mig-welding patterns, allowing for the creation of an advanced course opportunity for welding students.
“Education is a key to preparing the future workforce,” said Robert
Hitt, department manager for Public Affairs at BMW Manufacturing Co. “These robots will be a great asset in developing students’ technical skills and experiences with robotics.”
Photo
Caption: Keith Lasure, dean of industrial technologies at Piedmont Technical College, oversees the placement of a Model 4400 ABB robot, which is moved into position by Jim Fleming, instructor and program coordinator for Welding. Piedmont Tech is one of ten technical colleges in the state to receive one or more of the robots donated by BMW Manufacturing Co., which used the machines to manufacture the first generation of X5 SUVs.
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Gray Court Student Wins Environmental Essay Contest
Posted December 12, 2006, By Laura Garrett
 Heather Lamp, an eighth-grader at Hickory Tavern Middle School in Gray Court, won the $100 first prize in the Environmental Essay Contest sponsored by the Omega Chi Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa at Piedmont Technical College in Greenwood. Lamp's essay, which addressed the topic "What would you invent to improve the environment in your community?" described a mechanical flower that would plant seeds while also speeding up the decomposition of trash. Attending the presentation, from left, were Stephanie Cogsdale, Lamp’s mom; Lamp; Hollie Davenport, a Phi Theta Kappa member; and Russell Scott, principal of Hickory Tavern Middle.
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PTC Student Awarded National Scholarship for Funeral Service Education
Posted December 12, 2006, By Laura Garrett
The International Order of the Golden Rule (OGR) has named Samuel James, a Piedmont Technical College student, its 2006 Gold Award of Excellence Scholarship recipient. The highest scholarship awarded by OGR, the selection was based on essay, academic performance and funeral service experience.
“The selection awards a student that exemplifies a commitment to serving grieving families with compassion, fairness and dignity,” said Mark Allen, OGR director of education. “These are the qualities of
OGR.”
A native of Huntersville, N.C., James is no stranger to scholastic success. He was also a recent recipient of the 100 Black Women of Funeral Service Scholarship and the Charles M. Cox, Jr. Scholarship. James was named one of two Joseph E. Hagan Memorial Scholars last year.
In addition to his studies in Funeral Service Education at Piedmont Tech, James is a full-time student at Erskine College in Due West, where he is majoring in Business Management. James is on target to graduate from both institutions this spring.
The combination may sound odd to some, but James, who has worked in the funeral services industry for more than five years, hopes to manage his own funeral home one day. The dedicated student said the two degree programs go hand in hand.
“You cannot have one without the other. You can’t help families with a funeral if you don’t have the skills to financially run a business,” he explained. “On the other hand, you could have several business degrees, but if you don’t know how to serve grieving families and plan a proper funeral, you will fail.”
David Martin, director of the Funeral Service Education program at PTC, called James’ achievements outstanding. “He’s a very dedicated student and is showing great potential to become an excellent funeral director, said Martin.
“The OGR has recognized his determination and insight by presenting him with their highest scholarship award, and we are very proud to have him as one of our students.” Piedmont Tech is home to the South Carolina Center for Funeral Service Education.
Headquartered in St. Louis, Mo., the OGR is an international, not-for-profit membership organization of locally- and family-owned funeral homes. Started in 1928, OGR now boasts more than 1,000 member independent funeral homes with common goals: outstanding service, care and compassion to families in their time of need. The organization’s mission is to champion the independent funeral home by supporting member interaction, information exchange and professional business development.
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Caption: Samuel James, a Funeral Service Education student at Piedmont Technical College, is seen standing in front of Raymer Funeral Home in Huntersville, N.C. James was recently awarded the 2006 Gold Award of Excellence Scholarship, which is presented by the International Order of the Golden Rule.
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Starting and Staying in Small Business
Posted
December 5,
2006, By Cora
Blair
 Thinking about starting your own business? There’s no need to go blindly into this adventure, thanks to SCORE, a non-profit national organization known as the “counselors to America’s small businesses.”
“Basics of Starting and Maintaining a Small Business” will be held in the James C. Self Conference Center at Piedmont Technical College in Greenwood from 1-4 p.m. on January 18. SCORE volunteers, in conjunction with local business professionals, will present the seminar for anyone who wants to become an entrepreneur or for individuals who have recently started a new business. A fee of $40 will be charged.
Gary Hall, SCORE small business counselor for the Greenwood area, encourages any entrepreneurial person to attend. “Starting your own business is a ‘dream come true’ for many people, but often it’s not an easy thing to do. SCORE provides free confidential services to individuals as they go through the process of starting businesses. This seminar explains the local resources and support available in the Greenwood area,” he said.
Lori Hajost, owner of Art Design Assoc | 
