SC Legislative Update

By Ben Homeyer

Updated budget number from the BEA

Workforce development was a hot topic this week.  Governor McMaster held a press conference to announce the continuation of the technical college tuition program.  Governor Henry McMaster and the South Carolina Technical College System today announced that 32,426 South Carolinians have earned an industry credential through The program provides scholarships to cover the cost of tuition and required fees at any of South Carolina’s 16 technical colleges for any adult or recent high school graduate to pursue an industry credential or associate degree in high-demand career fields like manufacturing, healthcare, information technology, education, or logistics.  

In total, Governor McMaster has awarded $55.6 million in GEER Funds to the S.C. Technical College System for Workforce Scholarships for the Future. As of July 31, 2023, $44.3 million has been expended at an average cost of $1,367 per student.

Scholarship recipients are required to maintain a 2.0 grade point average and complete one of the following requirements:

  • Complete 100 hours of volunteer time at a nonprofit or public-service organization; or
  • Be employed; or
  • Take a financial literacy course offered at the technical college.

The General Assembly provided $93.7 million in the 2023-2024 state budget to continue this initiative through the South Carolina Workforce Industry Needs Scholarship program. 

SC DEW and members of the business community have been working together over the summer to develop a plan on implementation of H.3726 which is to put all workforce development under one roof.  

 

The group is currently looking at three things

Topic 1: Awareness • Outreach/awareness • Transparency • Sharing of information.

Topic 2: Skills • Work-based learning • Specific types/subjects of training • Opportunities for training

Topic 3: Obstacles • Public sector jobs; Housing; Transportation; Child-care; Public sector jobs; Small and medium-sized manufacturers

 

Strategy Focus: High Impact Practices Strategy Focus: 

  • High Value Credentials Increase participation in high impact practices…
  • Strategy: …for K-20 students by X% by 20XX. 
  • Strategy: …for adults re-entering the workforce by X% by 20XX. 
  • Strategy: …by businesses by X% by 20XX. Increase the percentage of… 
  • Strategy: … labor force in S.C. holding a high value credential, by X% by 20XX. 
  • Strategy: …individuals who, within six months of attaining a credential in S.C., are enrolled in additional education, employed, or enlisted in S.C. by X% by 20XX.