South Carolina has been awarded a $5.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce to expand broadband Internet access at the state's 16 technical colleges. The money will buy more than 2,000 new computers and open new Public Computer Centers at the colleges that anyone can use.
"People who don't have a computer at home could use these Public Computer Centers for resume creation and other job search and employment activities," says Khushru Tata, chief information officer for the SC Technical College System.
The grant will be used to expand the 51 computer centers already on technical college campuses and add 19 new computer labs. All of the computer centers will then be open to the public for the first time.
The project will also offer laptop computers for students to checkout so they can use new and expanded WiFi hot spots on campus for online research and learning. Grant money will also fund quick turn-around job skill workshops for people who are unemployed or underemployed.
"Thanks to this funding, public computer centers and computer labs throughout the state of South Carolina will be able to serve more than twice the current number of users," says U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke. "This means easier access to educational resources, jobs databases and job skill workshops."
Terri Jackson of Columbia is exactly the kind of student the grant is aimed at. She's got a job but is taking classes at Midlands Tech to become a teacher. "I'm going to be taking an online course at Midlands Tech," she says. "I have a computer but I have no Internet access right now."
The greater broadband access will make it possible for more students to take courses online. Deirdre Livingston, a nurse taking classes towards a nursing degree at Midlands Tech, is already doing some of her class work online. "It does make it more convenient because I can do it when I have time to do it, versus sitting in a classroom at a certain set time," she says.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement