According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the State of South Carolina has added approximately 40,000 manufacturing jobs since 2011, representing a Southeast-leading growth rate of 19 percent. With such a remarkable surge, some might wonder how our state has been able to accommodate the needs of an ever-expanding industrial community.
The answer is pretty simple – collaboration. American businessman Henry Ford once said, “If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.”
As South Carolina has transformed into a global leader in advanced manufacturing, teamwork and collaboration have been key. By working together, we’ve been able to successfully address one of the biggest challenges facing industry today – workforce development.
From the S.C. Technical College System and its initiatives, such as readySC™ and Apprenticeship Carolina™, to local school districts and private sector partners, many members of Team South Carolina have played an important role in developing one of the strongest advanced manufacturing workforces in the world.
Moving forward, we’ll need these efforts to continue – and to amplify. After all, with an unemployment rate below four percent, initiatives aimed at preparing our future workforce have never been more important.
That’s why recent developments, such as Greenville Technical College’s new Advanced Manufacturing Academy for high school seniors, are so important. Achieved with a $32,000 donation from Bosch Rexroth Corp., the program will allow students an opportunity to gain a hands-on introduction to career opportunities in manufacturing.
As collaboration and public-private partnerships like this one continue to drive workforce training initiatives across South Carolina, we’ll be able to meet the needs of both existing and prospective industries. And, as a result, our state and its workforce will prosper for many years to come.