CHARLESTON REGION EDUCATION ALIGNMENT STRATEGY Why this study?
The Future of Our Workforce
Strong job growth in the Charleston region is making it increasing difficult to fill open positions from either the existing workforce or new local graduates. As a result, the region is overly dependent on recruiting workers from out-of-state to fill jobs. This study: 1. Identifies industries driving employment growth. 2. D etermines if existing education programs meet the needs of growing industries. 3. I dentifies strategies to expand and upskill the available workforce.
In the next five years, our region will create more than 25,000 new jobs - nearly seven times the growth of the previous five years. Occupation clusters forecasted to have the highest growth rates are (in order): 1. Industrial Production 4. Sales & Marketing 2. Computer & Software 5. Medical 3. Science & Engineering 6. Business
EMPLOYMENT GROWTH `13 - `18 Industrial Production 21.4%
Computer & Software 19.9%
Did you know? Many of the technical and high-wage jobs that we create get filled by better-educated workers moving in from out-of-state.
13,300
39%
8,100
Science & Engineering 16.4%
7,200
31% Sales & Marketing 13.6%
23%
2,100
South Carolina
Metro Average
COLLEGE EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT BY PLACE OF BIRTH, `12
Out-of-State
Medical 13.4%
Business 10.2%
35,800 EMPLOYMENT SIZE `13
8,350
What occupations are most at risk?
Workforce shortages can occur when there is an insufficient number of local college graduates or companies find it difficult to recruit workers from outside the region.
Strategic Recommendations
Shortages are expected in key fields General Assemblers
188
General Machinists
45
Welders
32
Computer Programmers
162
Computers Security
111
Computer Network Admin 13
# of Annual Job Openings above and beyond college graduate output.
42
Material Engineers & Techs
Engineering: All Occupations
32
Civil Engineers
31
Industrial Eng. Techs
29
Aerospace Engineers
27
Electrical Eng. Techs
23
Biological Technicians
125
Medical Secretaries
Funding support and participation from:
99
Medical: Select Technician Level Occupations
65
Emergency Med. Techs
35
Dental Assistants
The research and findings of this project were produced by the consulting team of Avalanche Consulting and the Council for Adult & Experiential Learning. Project led by:
Medical Lab Technicians
• Create an Information Technology-focused Career Academy in each county. • Create more contextualized learning experiences through industry partnerships. • Increase entrepreneurial programs in Information Technology and Biomedical at area colleges.
57
Electrical Engineers
• Expand existing STEM-related Career Academies, with a focus on Manufacturing and Engineering.
• Calibrate certificate programs with the needs of industries.
61
Mechanical Engineers
24
Collaboration • Create a streamlined, centralized feedback system to provide industry input to multiple educational institutions and organizations. • Ensure new programs in the region fill a gap in the region, not just at the institution. Encourage collaborations and partnerships among institutions. • Share Career Academy best practices between school districts. • Create a Career Academy Guidebook. • Unify philanthropic education requests from the region.
19
Health Counselors
33
Accounting Support
103
Elementary Teachers
90
Middle/Sec. Teachers
87
Supply Chain
50
Library Specialists
49
Advertising/Sales Mgrs
45
Accountants/Tax Examiners Public Relations Specialists
Content
6
Industrial Engineers
Nuclear Med./Rad. Techs
Software & IT: All Occupations
87
Computer Scientists Web Developers
Production: All Occupations
31 12
Communication Other: Select Occupations in Accounting, Education, Supply Chain, Librarians, Advertising and Public Relations
• Implement a Career Awareness Campaign. • Create an Online Competency One-Stop Shop to showcase in-demand skills, how to find training, and which industries are hiring. • Implement a Regional Talent Attraction Campaign.