Bridgestone, Piedmont Augusta, Savannah River Mission Completion, SRP Federal Credit Union, Aiken Technical College and Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, and other CSRA business leaders get to honor a group dedicated to helping other companies grow since the early 1950’s.
Those business supporters will recognize the North Augusta Chamber milestone, as the Chamber foundation is sponsoring an Oct. 17th gala, Reflections: 75 Years of Innovation, Style, and Opportunity. It is a partnership with the foundation, Aiken County Public Schools, and the Aiken Career and Technology Center.
“This is actually a fundraising event. So, we are selling tickets, and the ticket sales are going to go to benefit the North Augusta Chamber Foundation, which is the 501c3 arm,” foundation chairman Isaac Kelly explained for ABD. “It’s a 100 percent nonprofit organization that does the business of some of the workforce and education programs that we do.”
An example of how the foundation supports the chamber’s programs is the Dell Student TechCrew program. Students in four of Aiken County’s high schools spend two years learning how to troubleshoot and repair Dell laptops.
“Students will have a Dell Tech certification, and when they graduate from high school, they are coming out with a certificate that they can go straight to work for, like a PC Tech or something like that, where they can work on not only the infrastructure of the computer systems, but also the software and the operating systems like Mac OS and Windows. Or they can have an entrepreneurial spirit and say, ‘I want to do my own business, and I’m going to do this as a business.’”
Students will have an integral role in the upcoming gala. They will appear in clothing representative of each decade, from the 1950s through today. It will provide reminders of what was happening throughout each decade, from fashion to technology, industry, and healthcare.
There will be interactive exhibits, student showcases, and decade-inspired presentations highlighting Career & Technology Education pathways, including:
- Fashion Design
- Health Sciences
- Automotive Technology
- Barbering & Cosmetology
- Culinary Arts
- Mechatronics
However, the focus will not remain in the past. Students will also glimpse into the possibilities for the future.
Incorporating the students is also designed to bring the next generation into the story of North Augusta and surrounding communities. They will develop technical skills, along with the confidence and experience needed to participate in the future workforce.
“Not only will they know the chamber and the business community in North Augusta, but they’re also learning about the different things that the area provides as well as the different markets and industries that we have in North Augusta and the surrounding CSRA,” said Kelly.
Business and community leaders get a firsthand look at the talent and training being developed in local schools and learn the connection between education, workforce development, and economic growth.
The gala will be at the North Augusta Community Center, 495 Brookside Avenue. Doors will open at 4 p.m.
For more information and tickets, go to:
“When you meet these kids, you can tell it’s working. If you need some hope for the future, buy a ticket to this event,” urged Kelly.
