South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce

The meeting included updates on work done since the inaugural meeting, including the identification of three workstreams and pulling Unemployment Insurance data. Discussions focused on identifying who is out of the workforce, why they are out, and what can be done to re-engage them, including the economic impact of re-engagement. Areas for further research were presented, such as crafting a survey for those who worked in 2019 and applied for benefits between March and May 2020 but were not working in the most recent quarter. The task force also discussed potential outsourced research to understand the state's labor force participation macro trends and the creation of a real-time labor supply and demand tool.

The Task Force meeting included a welcome and opening remarks, thanking SC Competes for aiding in distributing materials. A review of scopes of work and draft solicitations was conducted, focusing on research and additional labor force participation trends. Recommendations included calling out specific time periods of divergence, looking at policies in different states or countries, and clarifying approaches in questions related to policy markers. The discussion also covered the need to address rural vs. urban demographics and the importance of resiliency in economic downturns. The survey of the unemployed was discussed, including strategies to target respondents and bolster the rate of return, along with the use of incentives. Next steps involved reorganizing and revising the research solicitation for further review and comments.

The report outlines the activities and plans of the South Carolina Coordinating Council for Workforce Development (CCWD) in 2023. It highlights the implementation of Act 67, which aims to coordinate and enhance workforce development services across the state. Key initiatives include the development of a Unified State Plan (USP), the implementation of Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) codes for better data collection, the creation of an inventory of education and workforce programs, and the establishment of an Education and Workforce Website and Portal. The report also details the council's engagement with industry associations and other stakeholders to address workforce needs and improve the alignment of education and training programs with industry demands.

The Unified State Plan for Education and Workforce Development in South Carolina aims to align and enhance the state's education and workforce system through collaboration and coordination. The plan focuses on three main areas: increasing awareness of career opportunities and available services, enhancing skills through training and work-based learning, and overcoming obstacles such as childcare, housing, and transportation that prevent individuals from accessing education and entering the workforce. The plan includes specific goals, strategies, and metrics to measure progress in these areas.

This meeting reviewed the results of a survey of recently unemployed individuals. The survey focused on current work status, demographic characteristics, work experience, barriers to re-employment, and potential facilitators for returning to work. Key findings included that slightly less than half of respondents were working, with notable differences in work status across demographic groups (gender, race, age, and education). Discussion also included analysis of previous job types and the challenges of accurately capturing current employment status in the survey.