Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Workforce Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
State workforce strategy shifts to sector plans, regional alignment and employer‑linked training grants
Summary
Director Cheryl Stanton outlined a sector strategies initiative that aligns K–12, higher education, technical colleges, economic developers and businesses to identify high‑growth sectors, create four regional planning areas, and fund employer‑linked grants such as EvolveSC and apprenticeship programs for priority populations.
Cheryl Stanton told the committee the department has pushed a sector strategies initiative to align state agencies, educators and the private sector around regional workforce needs. She said data consultants and the State Workforce Development Board identified growth sectors — including diversified manufacturing, healthcare, IT/business services, construction and transportation/logistics — and recommended four geographic regions for coordinated planning.
Stanton said the regional teams performed SWOT analyses to identify training and capacity gaps and that the state is "truing up" supply and demand data with employers before deploying training dollars. "We have to true this up with the business community," she said, noting the risk of training for skills that local employers no longer need.
The committee discussed tools and initiatives to bridge K–12, technical colleges and higher education with employer demand. Stanton described WorkKeys as a work‑readiness assessment used in school and employer job profiling, and said the state will decide on any transition away from WorkKeys only after consultation with education and business partners. She also described EvolveSC — a grant program that pairs training providers (often technical colleges), employers and local workforce boards; applicants must include employer commitments to interview or hire trainees. Stanton said demand for EvolveSC exceeded funding and outcomes are pending.
Committee members urged continued sharing of data with school systems and technical colleges and asked about procurement of ZIP‑level analytics tools; Stanton said the state has used similar analytics for sector strategies and is evaluating vendor RFPs.
Stanton said focusing training on employer‑validated credentials and expanding apprenticeships and on‑the‑job training are central to the strategy. The committee did not take formal action; members asked for follow‑up on the RFP timeline and grant outcomes.
