Partnership Grand Strand Economic Growth Initiative was created to proactively address the Myrtle Beach area and Grand Strand’s biggest challenges facing its long-term economic growth and quality of life. This is the second in a series of four articles addressing the four key pillars which make up the PGS Initiative.
Please also see our articles on Prosperity, Place and Infrastructure.
Key Challenges
Talent and workforce is THE top-of-mind issue and challenge for nearly every local industry in the community. Demand continues to outstrip the supply of qualified workers, and as the economy opens back up, there are many jobs that companies cannot find talent to fill. Without more jobs in diverse industries with higher wage job opportunities, many residents are pursuing job options elsewhere.
The region has an aging population and does not have enough 25-44 year olds to replace older workers aging out of the workforce.
Goals & Solutions
Partnership Grand Strand will implement a variety of strategies to increase the quantity and quality of workers needed by area employers and support our educational institution’s efforts to create a workforce aligned with the needs of current and future area employers.
Strategy #1: Attraction & Retention Programs
Our goal is to implement a Business Retention and Expansion program in order to do the following:
- Launch an external advertising/marketing/PR campaign to attract talent highlighting the area’s job opportunities, recreation and quality of life assets
- Partner with local hospitals and healthcare providers to create a more targeted campaign to attract and recruit more doctors, nurses and healthcare providers
- Create a talent attraction and retention portal that allows visitors to opt-in to communications, leveraging existing videos and collateral materials available from educational institutions and other partners
- Develop a graduate retention program targeting young professionals, healthcare workers and alumni from CCU, HGTC and others including a website, social media campaign, internship opportunities, career fairs, etc.
Strategy #2: Strengthen K-20 Workforce Development
- Work with education and nonprofit partners to expand existing successful student services to increase graduation rates and keep students on track to finish high school
- Support and promote participation in the state’s 16 career clusters to provide career pathways from secondary schools to two- and four-year colleges, graduate school and the workplace
- Explore program pairing CCU and HGTC students with high schoolers to advise on college preparation
- Help educational partners secure resources
for dedicated college and career counseling - Partner with civic organizations to help families with FAFSA applications (Financial Aid Saturdays) via volunteer led efforts
- Increase financial resources to expand the chamber’s existing college scholarship program
- Partner with the Be Pro Be Proud SC movement to promote the benefits of skilled trade jobs
- Explore an opportunity to fund and maintain a mobile workforce workshop for our region, providing students with a hands-on tour of the region’s most in-demand technical careers
- Host four-week employability skills programs with SC Works that are focused on improving skills in areas such as interviews, applications, appearance, body language and attitude
Strategy #3: Assistance to Employers & Ed Partners
- Create an employer information portal to serve as a one-stop-shop for resources such as:
- Talent recruitment tools/kits
- Best practices for retaining employees
- Work-based learning opportunities
- List of all K-20 and workforce partner contacts
- Collect & communicate labor market information in collaboration with SC Works, Waccamaw Area Workforce Development Board, and other partners
- Host periodic job fairs and create online job boards
