Growing, Technically-Skilled Workforce

Cited by Forbes Magazine in 2009 as one of the Best Cities in the U.S. for Technology Jobs", Charleston offers a growing pool of highly-skilled technical workers, including software engineers, electrical engineers, chemical engineers, computer programmers, developers and technicians.

Local colleges and universities offer an array of relevant degree programs ranging from electrical engineering and computer science to discovery informatics and biochemistry. The Wall Street Journal just named the Charleston region as the #1 U.S. Metro for Growth in College Degrees over the past 10 years.

Charleston is one of the fastest growing mid size metros for software industries and occupations*:

• Top 10 fastest-growing software development region in U.S.
• Top 10 fastest-growing mid-size metro for computer hardware engineers (#1), computer research scientists (#2), statisticians (#3), computer operators (#3), graphic designers (#5), computer programmers (#8), and electrical engineers (#10)
• Fourth highest per capita concentration in U.S. for computer research scientists and #7th for computer hardware engineers

*(Out of 125 mid-sized metros, 2006-2009). Source: Avalanche Consulting Headlight Data System

Extensive Military & Defense Talent

The Charleston region is home to more than 18,000 ex-military, civilian and government employees, many with high-level security clearances.

For example, SPAWAR Atlantic employs more than 2,000 knowledge workers, of which 500+ earned master's or Ph.D. degrees in computer and engineering disciplines. Much of this military and defense-related knowledge and experience has direct applications in the advanced security industry.

Other advanced security federal agencies in Charleston include: Charleston Air Force Base, U.S. Coast Guard, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), US Department of Justice, and Department of Energy. Hundreds of defense contractors are located here as well, including Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), Scientific Research Corporation (SRC) and BAE Systems.

With an estimated $8 billion in defense contracts completed since 2000, greater Charleston remains a prime location for practical testing and pilot initiatives for security solutions firms.

Supportive Entrepreneurial Environment

Charleston Digital Corridor seeks to attract, nurture & promote Charleston's knowledge economy by facilitating a business, physical and social environment where technology companies thrive. With two burgeoning technology "incubators" (The Flagship and FS2), the Digital Corridor serves as a portal to government, infrastructure, real estate, education, venture capital, professional resources and a trained workforce.

SC Launch, a South Carolina Research Authority (SCRA) collaboration, was created to facilitate applied research, product development and commercialization programs, and to strengthen South Carolina's Knowledge Economy by creating high wage-earning jobs. SC Launch offers qualifying companies commercialization support, guidance and seed funding, and was recognized by Forbes Magazine as one of the 2010 Top Five Entrepreneurial Support Programs in the U.S..

Strategic Location, Affordable Real Estate

Charleston's technology corridors offer beautiful campus environments, state-of-the-art broadband infrastructure, and quick access to the international airport and Interstate system.

Competitive wage structure

The chart below provides wages typically associated with the advanced security/information technology sectors, or visit our workforce and employment page to access a more comprehensive list of average wages by occupation (BLS data).

For a local wage & benefit survey broken down by industry sector and company size contact Hank Taylor, V.P. Global Business Development, at 843.760.4526 or htaylor@crda.org, at the Charleston Regional Development Alliance.

Advanced Security Cluster, Select Occupations, Charleston S.C. MSA

Occupation Code	Occupation Title	2010 Average Hourly Wage	2010 Median Hourly Wage
11-1021	General & Operations Managers	$51.73	$45.35
11-9041	Engineering Managers	$47.22	$45.19
13-1111	Management Analysts	$34.84	$31.90
15-1121	Computer Systems Analysts	$31.44	$30.56
15-1131	Computer Programmers	$31.52	$29.77
15-1132	Software Developers - Applications	$35.18	$36.86
15-1133	Software Developers - Systems Software	$34.59	$33.75
15-1141	Database Administrators	$32.20	$30.17
15-1142	Network and Computer Systems Administrators	$30.32	$30.79
15-1150	Computer Support Specialists	$21.03	$20.21
15-1179	Information Security Analysts, Web Developers, and Computer Network Architects	$27.46	$25.52
15-2031	Operations Research Analysts	$38.45	$35.73
15-2041	Statisticians	$25.43	$24.20
17-2061	Computer Hardware Engineers	$40.40	$39.31
17-2071	Electrical Engineers	$36.11	$35.62
17-2072	Electronics Engineers (Except Computer)	$45.27	$46.53
17-3012	Electrical & Electronics Drafters	$25.06	$24.32
17-3023	Electrical & Electronic Engineering Technicians	$31.92	$30.84
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 10/2011.

Space & Naval Warfare Systems Center Atlantic (SPAWAR Atlantic) is the Navy's principal C4ISR (command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) Engineering & Integration Center on the East Coast. The operation provides each of the essential functions of C4ISR, and works with a myriad of systems including sensors, video teleconferencing, image processing, air traffic control, navigation, computer security, briefing systems, and multifaceted communication pipelines.

Project SeaHawk is the nation's first Interagency Operations Center (IOC), transitioning from a Department of Justice pilot project to a fully functional IOC when the Department of Homeland Security assumed leadership in October 2009. The SeaHawk IOC focuses on day-to-day interagency collaboration; integration of "agency-unique, yet complementary" operations; the sharing of field-level intelligence to create situational awareness and the daily risk-based allocation of federal, state and local maritime and intermodal safety and security resources. SeaHawk employs an "all hazard, all threat" approach to protecting the Port of Charleston and South Carolina's critical infrastructure.

U.S Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for conducting and completing civil works studies, projects and programs. Also plays an important role in assisting other federal, state and local partners in responding to national and/or natural disasters.

U.S. Coast Guard District 7, Charleston Sector is a multi-mission unit providing maritime homeland security, search and rescue, law enforcement, marine environmental response and port and waterway safety.

Joint Base Charleston combines the U.S. Navy and Charleston Air Force Base and is the only East Coast C-17 air base, providing a large part of Air Mobility Command's Global Reach airlift capability.

Federal Law Enforcement Training Center and Federal Complex (FLETC/FC) provides training for federal law enforcement agencies with facilities devoted to maritime law enforcement and port security. The U.S. Coast Guard has its own Maritime Law Enforcement Academy on the same campus.

National Law Enforcement & Corrections Technology Center, Southeast is a National Institute of Justice program providing technical advice and assistance to all law enforcement and corrections facilities within the 15-state Southeast Region.

Savannah River National Laboratory (SNL) is a key Department of Energy industrial complex processing and storing nuclear materials in support of national defense and U.S. nuclear non-proliferation efforts. A new partnership among SNL and three local NOAA facilities studies toxic algae, marine bacteria and viruses that can affect ecosystem health and homeland security.

Hollings Marine Laboratory was formed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the S.C. Department of Natural Resources, the Medical University of South Carolina and the College of Charleston, is designated a NOAA "Center of Excellence" and is currently involved in research related to environmental terrorism.

Advanced Security/IT Cluster Firms in the Charleston S.C. MSA

Company	Web Address	Product/Service
Allied Technology Group, Inc.	www.alliedtech.com	Information management solutions with focus on communications, collaboration, emergency response, network security, and homeland defense
BAE Systems	www.baesystems.com	Electronic security and communications systems design, manufacturing and integration
Barling Bay, LLC	www.barlingbay.com	Systems engineering, information assurance/security, research and development
Booz Allen Hamilton	www.boozallen.com	Systems engineering and information assurance services
CACI	www.caci.com	Network systems and security
CommIT Enterprises Inc.	www.commitent.com	System design, engineering and integration; physical, technical and cyber security
Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC)	www.csc.com	Design, engineering, and full service global IT and telecommunications systems, services and operations
Concurrent Technologies Corporation (CTC)	www.ctc.com	C4ISR engineering and intelligence services
Force Protection, Inc.	www.forceprotection.net	Mine-protected vehicles, military class vehicles manufacturing
General Dynamics Information Technology	www.gdit.com	Systems integration and information technology
ISHPI Information Technologies, Inc.	www.ishpi.net	Systems engineering, information assurance, cyber security and related services
L-3 Communications	www.l-3com.com/	C3ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance), advanced electronic systems
Lockheed Martin Information Technology	www.lockheedmartin.com	Network security, systems engineering/integration, maintenance/repair, information assurance
MANDEX Inc.	www.mandex.com	Information Technology (IT) & Assurance (IA); Command, Control Communications, Computers and Intelligence (C4I) design and integration
ManTech International	www.mantech.com	Information technology and technical services
Modus 21	www.modus21.com	Business Process Management (BPM) and Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) services
ProSoft (Professional Software Engineering Inc)	www.prosoft.tv	C4I Systems integration, engineering, information technology
QinetiQ	www.qinetiq-na.com	Systems engineering and integration
SAIC	www.saic.com	System engineering and integration services
Scientific Research Corporation (SRC)	www.scires.com	Communications, electronic systems and equipment design and integration
SPARC, LLC	www.sparcedge.com	Full software development life-cycle support and software product development services for commercial, federal and defense contractor sectors
UEC Electronics	www.uec-electronics.com	Electronics and electro-mechanical design, engineering and assembly
Ware On Earth Communications, Inc.	www.wareonearth.com	Information assurance, system integration, network engineering, and enterprise architecture & infrastructure
Source: Center for Business Research, Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce, 10/2011