October 14, 2021
By Jamie DeMent

In the Charleston metro, 700-900 military personnel separate from the armed forces each year. That averages 70 new potential workforce placements per month, which means we have a consistent flow of talented and disciplined men and women able to join the tri-county area’s labor pool. And even more if you consider the separations from bases across South Carolina.

Let’s also not forget the economic impact of military spouses, and the negative impact to our workforce pipeline if the families do leave this community.

74% of those transitioning out of the military have post-secondary education and are in the prime working ages of 18-54.

Our local industries have an untapped group of skilled talent right at their fingertips. It’s time to take steps to protect these valuable assets to our community, let veteran and transitioning military talent know we want them to stay, and connect them to Charleston’s top sectors: advanced manufacturing, life sciences, technology, defense, and logistics.

Below is a list of local, state, and national organizations that you and your company can connect with now to start building your relationships and your military talent pipeline.

• Palmetto Warrior Connection
• Vantage Point Foundation
• South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance
• Joint Base Charleston
• South Carolina Veteran’s Affairs
• Hiring our Heroes
• DOD SkillBridge
• Palmetto Military Support Group

Please reach out if you know of any local organizations that should be added to the list.

South Carolina was recently ranked the 3rd “Best State for Military Retirees” by WalletHub. We want to connect these veterans to Charleston’s large and diverse list of amazing companies so all have the opportunities to thrive.

If you are a veteran considering civilian employment in the three-county Charleston region, please visit CharlestonCareers.org or contact me for more information.

Contact Us:

Phone: 843.760.4522
Mobile: 843.696.7117
Email: [email protected]