In 1947, the South Carolina Area Trade Schools (SCATS) Act established the South Carolina Area Trade School Columbia Campus to provide skilled and educated workers to meet the expanding labor needs of the community.

With this partnership, the name of the school was changed to Midlands Technical Education Center (TEC).

Approximately 15,500 students were enrolled in Midlands Technical Education Center between the years 1969 and 1974.

Major programs of study were offered in engineering technologies, business, and allied health.

At that time, Palmer College annually enrolled 1,000 students in 16 associate degree and diploma programs.