State workforce director urges local partners to expand internships, update hiring and back a statewide talent portal

Rebecca Battle Bryant, director of the Office of Statewide Workforce Development, told Converge 2026 attendees that the office created under Act 67 (2023) and its expanded 38-member coordinating council exist to align workforce training, education and employers across the state.

"We operate under a unified state plan," Battle Bryant said, and noted the legislature provided "about $10,000,000 last year to start the building of" a statewide digital talent portal that will let employers, job seekers and educators connect. She said the portal will be built in stages and a bridge website and experiments (including AI-assisted Future Finder) are already under way.

Why it matters: Battle Bryant pointed to data showing continuing leaks in the local talent pipeline. "Twenty percent of your high school graduates every year disappear," she said, meaning those young people do not appear on college records or wage records and therefore do not enter the tracked workforce. She said the Beaufort region's top growth sectors are health care, construction, hospitality and professional services, and that many priority occupations "do not require a 4 year [degree]."

Recommendations and local steps: Battle Bryant urged employers and community leaders to act directly and immediately:

- Expand paid internships and work-based learning so students get hands-on exposure to local jobs. "If you're an employer, you don't have to have people's permission to hire somebody. Just hire a young person anyway," she said. - Audit and modernize job descriptions to emphasize skills and make opportunities appealing to younger candidates; she recommended using AI tools carefully to reshape descriptions for Gen Z. - Review applicant-tracking filters and respond to applicants quickly; she said some qualified candidates receive no response because of overzealous filters. - Strengthen employer-education partnerships: "You have to be talking to your teachers, your school administrators," she said, urging business engagement from birth through K-12 and higher education.

On technology and AI: Battle Bryant said AI can be a force multiplier when used ethically and taught to faculty, but warned that younger workers are often suspicious of AI. She described experiments that showed most young applicants find opportunities via social media rather than traditional job boards.

Closing and next steps: Battle Bryant encouraged attendees to visit findyourfuturesc.gov for the perceptions study and to consider participating in quarterly coordinating-council meetings. "We don't need another agency," she said. "We need boots on the ground trying to help." The office will continue building the portal and coordinating local input and best practices.

The presentation closed with a brief audience Q&A on AI best practices and concrete steps small and midsize companies can take to audit job descriptions; Battle Bryant reiterated the need to update hiring language and to respond to candidates promptly.

The coordinating council has said it will make its meetings public and accessible; the office asked local partners to test the web tools and to provide user feedback as the portal is developed.