GREENWOOD’S WORKFORCE
A Diverse Workforce
Greenwood County boasts a modern and diverse economic base, from manufacturing, distribution, research and development to internationally-recognized genetics research at the Greenwood Genetic Center.
Workforce Programs
Both state industries and government are committed to ensuring that South Carolinians have the education and training necessary to fill the most in-demand jobs. Businesses are offered programs that help maintain a highly skilled workforce.
READYSC
The state’s highly-regarded readySC program, a division of the SC Technical College System, offers an innovative program that provides recruiting and training assistance to companies that are expanding or looking to move to South Carolina. The program works with the state’s 16 technical colleges to develop a training curriculum tailored to meet a company’s workforce requirements – at no cost to that company. More than a quarter million workers have been trained since the program’s inception.
Apprenticeship Carolina™ Program
The mission of the Apprenticeship Carolina™ program is to ensure that all employers in the state have access to the assistance they need to create their own registered apprenticeship programs. Companies with registered programs earn a $1,000 South Carolina state tax credit for each registered apprentice employee who works at least seven months during each year. Students and young adults have the opportunity to work with participating companies across a diverse array of industries from advanced manufacturing to hospitality and healthcare.
Enterprise Zone Retraining Credit Program
Manufacturing companies located in South Carolina may have the opportunity to utilize the Job Retraining Tax Credit (E-Zone) program. This program reimburses companies for certain training and education provided to employees. Following approval by the State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education, companies may claim a credit of $1,000 per employee against withholding taxes.
Incumbent Worker Training
Funds may be available to train current employees to meet changing skill requirements due to new technology, restructuring, new product lines and other factors. An employer match is required. Funding priority is given to training that will lead to significant upgrades in employee skills or wages that will result in layoff aversion and better retention opportunities. Funding for this program is allocated annually.
On-the-Job Training
On-the-job training provides wage or salary reimbursement from 50-90% (depending on the size of the business) to compensate for costs associated with training new employees. The percentage and length of reimbursement varies based on the size of the company, the specific skills to be acquired for the job and the local workforce area.
Clemson’s Human Genetics PhD Program
The impact of genetics on health care has the potential to be greater than any earlier scientific advancement. With all it promises in prevention, early detection diagnostics and treatment of disease, genetics will require a much different way of providing health care and conducting research. To help meet this challenge, Clemson University introduced the first interdisciplinary Doctor of Philosophy in Health Care Genetics ever offered in the U.S.
Educational Opportunities
Educational opportunities are easily accessible in Greenwood, with three fully accredited school districts, five private schools, and two colleges, Lander University & Piedmont Tech, that provide a wide range of educational opportunities.
SCBIO K-12 Workforce Initiative
SCBIO realizes that K-12 life sciences education today means growing the next generation of tomorrow’s discoverers and innovators in the fields that will greatly impact the general health and well-being of our communities, our country, and the world.
The SCBIO Foundation is committed to inspiring, developing, and cultivating the next generation of a life sciences workforce. They partner with SCBIO investors to bring career-based learning into the classroom for students and teachers.
Greenwood Genetic Center’s Outreach Education
The Greenwood Genetic Center’s Division of Education
The students of today are the innovators of tomorrow in the field of genetic medicine. As an SCBIO Member, the Greenwood Genetic Center is in steadfast pursuit of their mission – to enhance genetic literacy and encourage career exploration in the life sciences, particularly in the fields of genetics and genomics.
The Genetic Education Center is available for teachers and students from middle school through high school for field trips to the Greenwood campus and a variety of programs. They also travel to schools with their mobile science labs, the ‘Gene Machine’ and ‘Helix Express’, which are available to visit South Carolina high schools and middle schools at no charge to the school.
The Greenwood Promise
The mission of the Greenwood Promise is to provide a tuition-free path to ensure Greenwood County students obtain the post-secondary education needed to develop a highly-skilled workforce, improve overall quality of life, and increase economic vitality.
The scholarship program, designed to reach beyond the boundaries of economic need and academic ability, awards funds to offset the remaining balance of post-secondary tuition and mandatory fees for every high school graduate whose primary residence is zoned for Districts 50, 51 or 52.
The full impact of the Promise begins with our children and expands to revitalize the entire community, improve the quality of life, and develop a highly-qualified workforce that will meet the needs of local employers, both now and in the future.
