March 20, 2026 -- Trident Technical College (TTC) has been awarded $1.5 million in federal funding to support the creation of a mobile maritime training and education lab. The award was funded through Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) via the U.S. Department of Education’s Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) and was sponsored and secured by U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham on behalf of TTC.
“We are thrilled to receive this important federal investment to support South Carolina’s maritime workforce,” said TTC President Dr. Vicky Wood. “On behalf of our college, I want to sincerely thank Sen. Lindsey Graham for his continued advocacy for workforce development and for helping make this mobile lab a reality. This funding will allow us to bring industry aligned training directly to communities throughout the region and help more residents access high paying jobs in the maritime sector.”
Specifically, the $1.5 million award will support the development of a fully equipped mobile training unit designed to deliver hands-on maritime trades instruction directly to TTC campuses, rural communities, employer sites and local high schools. The mobile maritime trades lab will be housed in a custom 53 foot trailer and equipped with modern welding booths, ventilation systems, safety equipment and related tools used widely across shipbuilding and ship repair occupations. The unit will allow the college to offer short-term training courses that prepare students for entry-level employment in maritime welding and related trades.
“By bringing training to where people live and work, the mobile lab will expand access to high-demand maritime careers and strengthen South Carolina’s skilled labor pipeline,” said Robert Elliott, dean of Trident Tech’s Berkeley Campus and Manufacturing and Maintenance.
The maritime industry contributes more than $87 billion annually to South Carolina’s economy and supports thousands of jobs in logistics, ship repair, metal fabrication and advanced manufacturing. As the sector continues to grow, driven in part by major expansions from employers, demand for a trained maritime shipbuilding workforce is increasing rapidly. TTC’s mobile lab will help meet that demand, particularly in rural and underserved areas where access to technical training is limited.
“The addition of the mobile lab strengthens TTC’s standing as a trusted, capable leader in maritime education,” Elliot said, adding that the college is designated as a Centers of Excellence for Domestic Maritime Workforce Training and Education. The national distinction is awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration to institutions that demonstrate exceptional success in maritime workforce training and education. This designation recognizes colleges that meet the highest standards of maritime training quality and play a vital role in supporting the nation’s maritime workforce needs, including workforce development, curriculum enhancement, industry collaboration, and strengthening economic and national security priorities.
To learn more about TTC’s offerings related to the maritime sector, contact Robert Elliott at Robert.Elliott@tridenttech.edu.