• Criminal Justice
  Piedmont Technical College's Criminal Justice program prepares students for work in law enforcement, the courts, and corrections. The Associate in Applied Science degree is 63 credit hours, or about two years, and covers criminal law, evidence and procedure, criminology, ethics, corrections, and juvenile justice. Every student completes an internship with a working agency before graduating.
  
  The College holds a memorandum of agreement with Newberry County School District, so students here already have a path into the program. Graduates can go directly to work, or transfer to Lander University or South Carolina State University to complete a bachelor's degree. Students who complete South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy training may also earn college credit toward the degree.
   

• Dual Enrollment
  Whether you’re taking classes at your high school or on a Piedmont Technical College campus, you’ll get both high school and college credit in PTC’s Dual Enrollment classes. Unlike other advanced credit programs in which your college credits depend on how well you take a test, Dual Enrollment students can be sure their work will count toward their studies when they’re ready to apply to college.Depending on the path you choose for Dual Enrollment, there are even more benefits beyond getting a head start on your bachelor's degree. 
   

• Machine Tool Technology
  The skills taught in the machine tool program are in constant demand in our region, and all over the country. Graduates will find that their employment prospects are excellent. You’ll get a full introduction to the field and practical experience in machining operations used in practically every manufacturing industry.
   

• Mechatronics Technology
  Piedmont Technical College's Mechatronics program offers a comprehensive education that combines elements of electronics, pneumatics, hydraulics, mechanics, IT, computers and robotics. With instruction in Mechatronics, you’ll be prepared for the modern, automated workforce.
   

• Nursing
  The programs at Piedmont Tech provide students with the knowledge, skills and aptitudes needed to apply the nursing process to individuals and families across the life span. Upon completion of the designated programs, students will be prepared to take their licensure examination. They will be ready to respond to changing health care demands in a variety of settings within the respective scopes of nursing practice.
   

• Truck Driver Training
  More than 80 percent of communities in South Carolina depend exclusively on trucks to transport goods. Piedmont Technical College is one of 13 technical colleges that provide Commercial Driver's License (CDL) Class A training to prepare individuals for careers in the robust truck-driving industry. 
  
  Offered in Greenwood County, the curriculum offers the hands-on training and in-depth classroom instruction necessary to understand and master the daily requirements of a career in professional truck driving.
  
  Fun Facts

There are PTC campuses in six counties.

Criminal Justice fun fact: Most people picture a patrol car when they hear "criminal justice." Crime scene investigation, the courts, probation, juvenile justice, 911 dispatch, and corrections are all part of the field, and every one of them starts with the same two-year degree. Piedmont Tech students spend a semester interning inside a working agency, so they find out which part of the field fits them before they graduate.​

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Primary Careers & Earning Potential
Business & Technical

• Depending on the career path you choose, you could perform an extremely wide variety of job functions — from clerical work to management. For example, those with an Accounting concentration could classify and verify numerical data, develop and maintain financial records following guidelines established by the company. In small organizations, you may do some general office work. In large organizations, you might specialize in one type of activity, such as payroll or accounts payable.
   

Criminal Justice

• Criminal justice is a wide field. Graduates work as police officers and sheriff's deputies, correctional officers, probation officers, 911 telecommunicators, juvenile services staff, investigators, and private and corporate security officers.
  
  In South Carolina, about 12,330 people work as police and sheriff's patrol officers, and the state sees roughly 1,067 openings each year. Typical pay is $45,110 to $59,430. Probation officers typically earn $45,820 to $58,860, and security officers $29,200 to $36,350, with about 2,110 security openings a year statewide. These figures come from the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce.
  
  Pay rises with rank and specialty. Nationally, the median wage is $58,940 for correctional officers and $93,790 for detectives and criminal investigators, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025.

Dual Enrollment

• By taking dual credit classes, you are getting a jump start on your college career, and you’re saving money on courses you would need to take in your freshman year at college. Piedmont Technical College offers even more transfer options for students headed toward a bachelor’s degree. Students may transfer seamlessly to colleges and universities such as: Clemson, College of Charleston, University of South Carolina, Lander University, Columbia College, Newberry College, Presbyterian College, USC Upstate and USC Aiken. And, we offer transfer degrees that allow you to complete the first two years of a bachelor’s degree here, at a much lower cost, before transferring to your destination school.
   

Machine Tool Technology

• Modern manufacturing is a high-level, advanced industry requiring skilled and talented people. In fact, it's South Carolina's number two employment sector, paying wages well above the statewide average. These advances are clearly evident in the machine shop.

Mechatronics Technology

• All plants and industries must be well-maintained to run at full capacity, so demand for mechatronics technicians will remain strong. In fact, in a study by the National Association of Manufacturers, over 80 percent of manufacturers reported a "moderate to serious" skills shortage in their workforce, so career opportunities are excellent for well-trained PTC graduates.​
  
  Robotics, programmable logic controllers, automation: these are just a few of the advances that have helped to dramatically increase the productivity and efficiency of modern manufacturing. These increasingly complex systems offer opportunities for students with the skills taught in our Mechatronics program. 
  
  Maintenance technician starting pay is around $25-$35 per hour.

 

Nursing

• With continued reports of a national shortage of nurses, there couldn’t be a better time to enter this rewarding, high paying profession. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses is projected to increase over the next decade.
   

Truck Driving

• Truck Drivers salary varies per company usually between $40,000 - $100,000+

Browse all courses here.
 

Website

www.ptc.edu