Empowering students through hands-on learning and real-world experience
Nestled into the heart of the Lexington-Richland Five School District, the Center for Advanced Technical Studies (the Center) stands as a model of innovation in education—where classroom learning meets real-world experience. Combining academic rigor with hands-on technical training, the Center provides students with a glimpse into future careers while equipping them with the skills and confidence to pursue them. From engineering and health sciences to culinary arts and robotics, every hallway buzzes with curiosity, collaboration, and purpose.
“One of the most fun things that I get to do is give tours, whether it’s for businesses that come through wanting to learn more about what we do or potential students,” said Roy Frick, Assistant Director of the Center. “We give tours to 8th graders from the local middle schools. Each tour is two days. The first day, students who come in couldn’t care less when they walk in. By the end of their time with us, they are excited. They can’t believe that they can actually take classes that look fun and exciting and may relate to things they want to do after school. They go and tell all their friends who weren’t there about it, and on the second day, the second group comes in ready to go.”
Now in its fourteenth academic year, the Center has truly found its stride, becoming an integral part of both the school district and the broader community. It has matured into a well-established institution—one that students are eager to attend, educators are proud to support, and businesses are seeking to partner with in preparing the next generation of skilled workplace professionals.
“The students want to be here, they want to learn, and they’re hands-on,” said Frick. “The teachers know this, and they know that they are more than just teachers in our building. They are mentors. Most teachers spend 2-3 years with their students and really get to know them. The relationships built during that time last long after graduation.”
Graduates of the Center who are now in their 30s return frequently to lend a helping hand where needed, giving back to their mentors who shaped their education and providing the current students with the most up-to-date on-the-job knowledge possible.
Fire and rescue alumni assist with training sessions, while graduates of the culinary program are often found leading cooking demonstrations and mentoring current students. Robotics alumni volunteer their time to support coaches, guide students, and help organize competitions. Each returning graduate carries a deep sense of pride in their experience at the Center and a genuine desire to contribute to the success of the next generation.
The Center presents an extensive selection of specialized courses and career pathways designed to prepare students for success in their chosen fields.
“The most requested right now is welding,” said Frick. “Welding has between 150-200 requests per year for only 36 year one spots. We’re trying to figure out a way to expand in the future, but for now, if we can’t get them in welding, we try to give them options for other classes they might be interested in. After welding, the most popular requests are building construction technology, culinary arts, HVAC, biomedical sciences, cybersecurity technologies, and agriculture.”
The Center’s strong partnership with the local business community—particularly the Chapin Chamber of Commerce—plays a key role in shaping its course offerings. The programs are continually adapted to meet real-world industry needs.
“We constantly look at what the needs of the Midlands are,” said Frick. “We have to be relatable to what the community needs and to get the students ready for the career paths that are looking for workers.”
Their newest program, HVAC, was the result of a direct request from businesses in the Midlands saying that they needed workers, and they needed them as soon as they could get them.
“It’s interesting to see how it is going to grow,” said Frick. “It’s almost to capacity, and we’re looking to add more spots to the course. It was a big request and those students, after next year, they’re going to be ready to go out on the job and start working immediately.”
The Center proficiently equips students with the skills to head straight into the workforce, and one of the ways it achieves this is through its robust internship program. These internships, roughly 70-80 per year, pair students with local businesses that not only provide real-world experience but also foster professional connections, workplace confidence, and a deeper understanding of industry expectations. Many students complete their internships with job offers in hand or a renewed sense of direction for their future careers.
“As recently as five years ago, the mindset was very much college-focused and guiding students towards going to college for a four-year degree,” said Frick. “It’s rapidly changing. Parents now want them to learn a skill, or they want them to look at their options because they don’t want their students to spend a year in college not knowing what they want to do, at a cost of $50,000. Students and parents alike are jumping on board with the idea of forgoing college to instead focus on jobs they can start right out of high school with the help of the programs at the Center.”
This shift in perspective is something Frick and his team at the Center embrace wholeheartedly. Helping students find direction—whether that means pursuing college or stepping straight into a career—is at the heart of their mission. It’s a responsibility that everyone at the Center approaches with genuine enthusiasm and pride.
“This is fun for me,” Frick said. “This is my passion. I would say that it is the same with every teacher who’s doing this, too. It’s incredible trying to navigate and be the bridge from a student’s schooling to the rest of their life, whether that’s going to a four-year school or straight to the workforce at 18 years old.”