November 30, 2016

An educated and fast-growing talent pool is a cornerstone of Charleston | SC | USA’s strong economy.

Today, 360,000 people fuel the Charleston metro civilian labor force and that number continues to grow. The region welcomes 48 new residents each day (35 net daily in-migration + 13 births minus deaths), and the population is estimated to increase 9.3 percent between 2015 and 2020.

The Charleston region offers resources to help companies train existing workforce.  readySC creates customized workforce training programs at little or no cost for companies expanding in South Carolina. Boeing and Mercedes Benz Vans, for example, use readySC to train thousands of workers for their Charleston operations. Meanwhile, local programs like Youth Apprenticeships and Career Academies gear up students at the high school level for jobs in Charleston’s growing industries.

As advanced manufacturing and technology companies set up shop in Charleston, education centers and initiatives continue to expand to accommodate their needs. Recent developments follow:

S.C. Aeronautical Training Center

Trident Technical College (TTC) broke ground this fall on the S.C. Aeronautical Training Center, an $80 million, 224,000-square-foot facility that will accommodate 5,370 students each year. Designed to support Boeing’s production of the 787 Dreamliner in the Charleston region, the center will also produce a pipeline of technically-skilled workers for Charleston’s burgeoning automotive industry.

Zucker Family Graduate Education Center

Clemson University recently opened its Zucker Family Graduate Education Center (ZFGEC), a $21.5 million 70,000-square-foot facility focused on providing advanced engineering degrees to Charleston’s working professionals. Located adjacent to the SCE&G Energy Innovation Center, the higher-learning outpost will offer Master’s and Doctoral degrees in engineering, computer science and fine arts to some 200 students. Students collaborate on R&D projects with leading advanced industries in the market.

Charleston Regional Career Headlight

To help Charleston residents take advantage of new job opportunities in the region, the Charleston Metro Chamber, Charleston Regional Development Alliance, Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments, and the Trident Workforce Investment Board came together to launch Charleston Regional Career Headlight. The data-driven program informs high school students, college students, adult workers and career counselors in the region about the area’s fast-growing industries and connects them to future careers.

Learn more about our training programs to help your company take advantage of Charleston’s skilled workforce.