FDTC Automotive Technology students receive $10K of tools from Harbor Freight
Keith McKenzie, FDTC Automotive Technology Instructor, Robby Roberson, Harbor Freight Distribution Center Vice President of Workforce Development, Dan Averette, FDTC Associate Vice President for General and Technical Education. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Florence-Darlington Technical College (FDTC) Automotive Technology students have plenty of new high-end tools thanks to the donation of $10,000 worth of tools from Harbor Freight Distribution Center in Dillon County.
FDTC Automotive Technology Instructor Keith McKenzie said he’s overwhelmed by the gifts that include Harbor Freight’s Icon professional-grade tools. McKenzie said, “Our students will get to use tools they’ll work with in their careers.”
Robby Roberson, Vice President of Workforce Development at the Dillon facility, made the gift to college’s program, along with a new $1,600 rolling toolbox to store the tools.
Roberson called the gifts a pilot program for his company. He said his company is promoting the Automotive Technician programs supported at Harbor Freight. He also called the donations mutually beneficial to the company and to FDTC’s Automotive Technology students.
The tools consist of Icon professional wrenches, socket drivers and other specialty tools used by technicians. Roberson also wants to offer a discount on professional tools for FDTC Automotive Technology students.
Dillon County’s Harbor Freight has more than 4,000 employees at the distribution center. Harbor Freight is a family-owned parent company, headquartered in California, and it is one of the top tool distributors in the United States.