#FeatureFriday: Technical Colleges

College may seem like it's far away to parents of young children, but it is closer than you think! September is College Savings Month, and it's important to think about starting to save now.

 Feature Friday Tech Colleges

Future Scholar is the 529 college savings plan sponsored by the State of South Carolina and administered by the Office of State Treasurer, Curtis Loftis. It was created under section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) and sponsored by individual states, 529 plans are tax-advantaged education savings vehicles held by an account owner for a designated beneficiary. Beginning in 2002, changes to the Internal Revenue Code have rendered these plans more attractive than many other savings vehicles in tax treatment of withdrawals used for qualified education expenses.

Future Scholar is designed to help make saving for college easier. Future Scholar funds can be used to pay for tuition and qualified higher education expenses at eligible two and four-year public and private colleges, and graduate, professional and certain vocational programs.

This month, we'll use the hashtag #FeatureFriday to see all of the state-funded universities and colleges across South Carolina. Today we'll look at the technical colleges across the state..

Aiken Technical College

Aiken Technical College is a public, two-year, comprehensive institution of higher education established to provide citizens of greater Aiken County opportunities for educational, economic, professional, civic and personal development. Through its focus on teaching and learning, the college supports economic growth and community development by educating and training students for entry into the workforce or for further higher education. It is in Aiken, South Carolina.

Central Carolina Technical College

Central Carolina Technical College is a comprehensive, public, two-year institution of higher education dedicated to fostering a positive environment of teaching and learning for faculty, staff, and students. The College serves primarily the region of Clarendon, Lee, Kershaw, and Sumter counties in South Carolina and confers associate degrees, diplomas, and certificates. Central Carolina Technical College is in Sumter, South Carolina.

Denmark Technical College

Denmark Technical College is a public, comprehensive, Historically Black, two-year technical college. The college annually serves approximately 2,000 credit and continuing education students, a mix of traditional, nontraditional, full-time and part-time. Denmark Technical College is the only technical college in the State of South Carolina with on-campus housing. It is in Bamberg County in South Carolina.

Florence-Darlington Technical College

Florence-Darlington Technical College will provide a high quality education that furthers the regional economic development, enhances the quality of life in the region we serve and supports students' marketability in the global economy. It is in Florence, South Carolina.

Greenville Technical College

Greenville Technical College is one of the largest public two-year colleges in South Carolina. The college provides exceptional learning opportunities primarily to the residents of Greenville County. It is in Greenville, South Carolina.

Horry-Georgetown Technical College

Horry Georgetown Technical College is a comprehensive two-year community/technical college. HGTC offers more than 80 associate degree, diploma, and certificate programs for students who are either seeking quick entry into the workforce or desiring to transfer to a senior institution to pursue a bachelor's degree. It is on the Grand Strand in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Midlands Technical College

MTC students can earn a degree, diploma or certification in as little as two years, or seamlessly transfer to a four-year college. You can save thousands by doing your first two years of core courses with us, then transferring. MTC provides quick courses, full certificate programs, and everything in between for students looking to begin a new career or add to their skill set. Midlands Technical College is in Columbia, South Carolina.

Northeastern Technical College

Northeastern Technical College provides occupational, technical, college transfer, basic academic skills, and continuing education programs with appropriate support services to meet the needs of individuals, businesses, and industries in a rural service area composed of Chesterfield, Marlboro, and Dillon Counties. It is in Cheraw, South Carolina.

Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College

Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College is a comprehensive two-year technical college that provides training for jobs in new and expanding industries, upgrading programs for workers already employed and university transfer opportunities. It offers Associate in Arts, Associate in Science and Associate in Applied Science degrees, diplomas and certificates. It is in Orangeburg, South Carolina.

Piedmont Technical College

Piedmont Technical College is a comprehensive two-year college offering university-level education and hands-on career training. They offer a wide variety of career studies programs, continuing education courses, and a university transfer curriculum designed to fulfill the first two years of a bachelor's degree at four-year colleges and universities. It is in Greenwood, South Carolina.

Spartanburg Community College

Spartanburg Community College is a public, two-year, multi-site, suburban college serving the citizens and communities of Cherokee, Spartanburg and Union Counties of South Carolina. SCC provides affordable access to high-quality technical, transfer and lifelong professional and personal development programs in a teaching and learning environment that prepares students for success. It is in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

Technical College of the Lowcountry

The Technical College of the Lowcountry is a comprehensive, public, two-year college dedicated to serving the diverse educational needs of the rural counties of Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton, and Jasper.  The College annually serves approximately 10,000 credit and continuing education students, a mix of traditional, non-traditional, fulltime, and part-time. It is in Beaufort, South Carolina.

Tri-County Technical College

Tri-County Technical College is a public community college that focuses on teaching, learning, and helping students reach their goals. Offerings include university transfer associate degree programs and applied technical associate degrees, diplomas, and certificates in more than 70 majors associated with business, health, public service, and industrial and engineering technologies. It is in Pendleton, South Carolina.

Trident Technical College

Trident Technical College is a public, two-year, multi-campus community college that provides quality education and promotes economic development in Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties. The college offers more than 150 programs of study, including transfer programs for those continuing at four-year colleges and beyond. It is located in Charleston, South Carolina.

Williamsburg Technical College

Williamsburg Technical College is a public, two-year, associate degree, diploma, and certificate granting institution serving Williamsburg County. The mission of Williamsburg Technical College is to offer quality, affordable, and accessible educational opportunities and experiences that enable students to acquire the knowledge and skills to achieve their goals. It is in Kingstree, South Carolina.

York Technical College

York Technical College is a public, two-year institution of higher education that offers a variety of associate degrees, diplomas, and certificates. York Technical College has an open admissions policy for qualified students and annually enrolls 5,000-7,000 credit students. It is in Rock Hill, South Carolina.