Bonds Career Center
Bonds Career Center in Greer, South Carolina is a place of endless opportunity. Students from our four feeder high schools have to apply for a coveted spot in one of our programs. Acceptance is based on a rubric that includes an evaluation of attendance, discipline, and grades. Students apply through Backpack. The application window opens in January.
preparing students for the world of work
Bonds Career Center means business. When students come to the career center, they are coming to "work." We expect students to treat their classes like jobs and meet the professional standards of their industry. We encourage all of our students to apply for Work-Based Learning opportunities to practice the technical skills they are building in their CTE programs. When they leave Bonds, our students are ready for the real world. Many of them graduate with multiple industry certifications, college credits, and a year or more of on-the-job experience in their chosen fields.
choosing the right students for the right programs
Students have to apply to get into Bonds Career Center, and in many programs, there are significantly more applicants than open spots. In order to land one of those coveted spots, students from Bonds' four feeder high schools need to keep their grades up, practice good attendance, and keep a clean discipline record. Students must also submit an essay on why they want to attend Bonds Career Center.
providing world-class instruction
The award-winning instructors at Bonds Career Center are some of the best in the state of South Carolina. They bring their technical skills and many years of industry experience into our learning labs. Instructors maintain professional ties to their industries in order to stay current on the skills their students need to succeed, the latest equipment, and the most in-demand certifications.
focusing on employability
Hiring managers are looking for technical skill, but we know they also want employees who can show up on time, work in a team, and solve problems. At Bonds Career Center, we make sure students leave us with these "soft skills" that employers tell us are critical to success.
Part of our students' grades come from an employability rubric that measures whether students have mastered these professional skills.
skillsusa
Bonds is a total participation school in SkillsUSA, a partnership of students, instructors, and industry working together to build a more skilled workforce. SkillsUSA has created a Career Readiness framework that combines technical skills, personal skills, and workplace skills. Bonds incorporates those elements into classroom instruction.
In addition to developing leadership and employability skills, SkillsUSA puts on state and national competitions that bring in industry partners and allow students to showcase what they've learned. Bonds students have a great track record in SkillsUSA competitions. In 2019, Bonds had four SkillsUSA state winners who qualified to compete in the national competition in Kentucky.
Click through the pictures to the right for a glimpse of the 2019 SkillsUSA South Carolina state competition.
developing strong partnerships
Bonds Career Center is fortunate to have strong relationships with many Upstate businesses and community organizations. Interested businesses have many options if they want to get involved at Bonds.
Check out the slide below for some of the ways you can make a difference.
To learn more about Bonds Career Center, check out our website.
You can learn more about partnership opportunities by visiting the Business Partners tab on this website.
business partner spotlight
Sandvik Coromant is one of Bonds Career Center's best business partners. In 2019, the South Carolina Association for Career and Technical Education named Sandvik Education Business Partner of the Year at the EBS Conference in Greenville. Thank you to Sandvik Coromant for providing Work-Based Learning opportunities for our students, joining our advisory committees, hosting events, and so much more!
Watch the video below to learn more about how Sandvik Coromant is making a difference at Bonds Career Center.
Why career and tech education?
Check out the video from Build Your Future to learn a few reasons!