York Technical College and UNC Charlotte-led Bid Named a Finalist in National Science Foundation’s Regional Innovation Engines Competition

York Technical College is proud to serve as a workforce development partner in efforts to build an energy innovation hub for the Carolinas.  The Carolinas Engine for Grid Modernization has advanced to the finalist stage in the U.S. National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Regional Innovation Engines competition. Led by the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, the regional engine is one of a select group of finalists competing for up to $160 million in federal funding to transform America’s energy future.

The Carolinas Engine for Grid Modernization aims to address urgent national needs in energy security by addressing the electrification of buildings and transportation, the growth of advanced manufacturing, and the rapid expansion of data centers. Industry input from utility partners has helped shape the initiative, which will combine world-class research, new business investment, and workforce training to accelerate the development of next-generation grid technologies.

York Technical College will play a critical role in coordinating workforce development across 36 counties in North and South Carolina, helping to prepare skilled workers through certificates, apprenticeships, and degree programs in industrial and engineering technologies. The college’s strong relationships with industry leaders, coupled with state-supported employment training programs, position it to deliver the talent pipeline required for this transformation.

“York Technical College is committed to ensuring that our region has the highly skilled workforce needed to power the Carolinas’ leadership in energy innovation,” said Dr. Stacey Moore, president of York Technical College. “As a partner in this effort, we are proud to build on our history of workforce training and collaboration with industry to strengthen economic development and create pathways to high-quality careers.”

If selected, the Carolinas Engine will provide both North and South Carolina with new opportunities to attract domestic and international investment, expand economic mobility, and support the creation of high-paying innovation-based jobs.

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About York Technical College
As a public, two-year institution, York Technical College offers associate degrees, diplomas, and certificates in over 100 programs of study, as well as an award-winning program that will allow you to transfer to a four-year institution. Founded in 1964 with just 60 students, York Technical College now welcomes between 5,000 to 7,000 credit students each year at its main campus in Rock Hill, South Carolina, as well as its off-campus center in Chester, South Carolina.