Growing workforce provides opportunities, but attitudes must change, experts say

In the quest for qualified, highly skilled workers, success often comes down to perception.

That’s why state and local economic development officials are trying to change the way workers view advanced manufacturing careers and how industries see the Charleston region as a place to do business.

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“You would assume that momentum creates more momentum and it’s relatively easy to continue performing and sustaining at a high level,” said David Ginn, president and CEO of the Charleston Regional Development Alliance, which markets the three-county area to employers. “What we’re learning is that we’re being hit somewhat in the middle of the face by site selection consultants representing businesses looking to grow and expand. They’re saying, ‘We’re going to take our clients to other communities because we assume you’re full and your talent pipeline is all dried up. You must be out of talent.”

It’s an attitude Marc Murphy, CEO of Charleston software firm SPARC, experienced first-hand.

Murphy recently was in California pitching a project to a large venture capital firm that loved the product and its technology, but did not see the Lowcountry as a viable place to do business.

“They were concerned that we could not scale a company in Charleston,” Murphy said. “We have a challenge of educating and creating a brand externally across the country. People need to understand that this is a very robust and growing technology hub. There is tremendous opportunity for career mobility in Charleston. We need to explain that to people. We need to get that message nationwide.”

Read more at The Post & Courier…