SC Works Berkeley

The South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce's Labor Market Information has updated the unemployment information through December 2013. The unemployment rate for Berkeley County and the Trident Region has declined once again!! Unemployment in Berkeley County, at last calculation, is at 5.5%. This is down from the previous month's calculation which was at 5.9%. The Trident Region is averaging 5.2% across the Tri-county area and trending better than the United States average which is 6.7% and the state average which is 6.6%.

The SC Works Berkeley staff continues to help impact this positive change in the unemployment rate through their continuous efforts in aiding job seekers. During the first two weeks of February, SC Works Berkeley provided over 4,600 different job seeker services to customers while staff provided 60+ services to area businesses and simultaneously helped in supporting an additional 79 new job seekers. Berkeley's Employment Services team added 7 new job orders to the SC Works Online Services website representing a total of 7 new positions in the area. These new job listings account for a variety of positions ranging from maintenance helpers, security officer, retail manager, to electrical engineer. Some noteworthy businesses who have listed opportunities are Santee Cooper and Kinder Morgan, Inc.

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SC Works Charleston

The SC Works Charleston Center continues to strive in helping our job seekers find jobs and to help employers find the qualified employees they are looking for. Over the last month staff has aided 358 individuals with gaining re-employment and has provided employer services to 429 different employers while creating 312 new job orders in the SC Works Online Services. During this time SC Works Charleston staff helped provide 60,835 individual services to our customers.

The staff continues to work with employers in the region to help fill positions through our job fairs and by screening applications. Job fairs held at the center have been seeking employees in the areas of logistics, transportation, electricians, material handlers, and custodial services. The Employment Services staff has been working with the ReadySC/Boeing Project to help screen applications and conduct interviews (both telephone and face to face interviews). While aiding the ReadySC/Boeing Project, SC Works Charleston Employment Service's staff conducted over 300 face to face interviews between January and February at the SC Works Charleston center. The individuals who are being interviewed are perspective candidates for the Phase I of the ReadySC/Boeing Project.

SC Works Charleston is very proud of one of their recent WIA participants, Mr. Shawn Warren, who recently graduated from the CNC Operator Program at Trident Technical College. Mr. Warren is a very determined individual and refused to let barriers stand in the way of his success. During his studies at Trident Tech, he completed training in Machine Trades Print Reading, CNC Math, Quality Control Fundamentals and Precision Measurements, Production, Machine Tools and Shop Operations, and CNC Programming & Machine Operations and Machine Tool Simulation. After completing his training program, he was hired to work with the VLT Group making $12.00 per hour and we wish him the best of luck.

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SC Works Dorchester

SC Works Dorchester made a strong start in the New Year, and has been determined to help our job seekers find work more than ever before. In the last month, staff at SC Works Dorchester assisted nearly 1,600 job seekers by providing more than 16,500 individual services to our customers. Staff has also helped facilitate the reemployment of 156 individuals and assisted 45 others by providing access to occupational skills and pre-employment skills training. Staff also experienced an increase in demand for soft skills training and employment skills workshops, with 34 job seekers attending the weekly workshops in the last month.

Partners at SC Works Dorchester continue to see demand for services and increases in effective outcomes. SC Vocational Rehabilitation, Experience Works, SC Benefit Bank, and Charleston County Human Services all have reported great starts toward meeting enrollment goals and securing high quality outcomes for participating individuals.

The unexpected announcement of American LaFrance's closure, caught many off guard, but the staff at SC Works Dorchester were ready. After seeing a few individuals the first day of business after their layoff, staff invited impacted workers back to the facility for an information session on programs and services offered at SC Works Dorchester the next day. This small group of dislocated workers then took to social media to inform their former colleagues of the special information session created just for former American LaFrance workers. After only seeing a few individuals in the office to file for unemployment insurance, staff expected to see between 8 and 10 individuals. To their surprise more than 40 dislocated workers attended the session. The staff was elated by the turnout, and was able to interact with nearly half of the dislocated workforce within a week of their unannounced layoff.

Additional strategies have been deployed to ensure all workers impacted are made aware of the full menu of services available at area SC Works Centers. For those who have already been working with staff, Workforce Investment Act eligibility and enrollment sessions have been planned for February where workers will be provided individual job counseling, given access to training, and other resources. SC Works Dorchester's response to the unplanned layoff event is a testament to their flexibility and capability to respond to rapidly changing events in today's economy, and shows a resolved commitment to ensuring no worker is left behind.