Regional Workforce Advisors (RWAs) were originally established by the Education and Economic Development Act of 2005, which was comprehensive, reform-focused legislation that addresses workforce development through education reform. In 2023 with the passing of the Statewide Education and Workforce Development Act, the RWAs joined the DEW team. Regional Workforce Advisors are designated to coordinate and facilitate the delivery or information, resources, and services to students, educators, employers, and the community. The primary responsibilities of the Regional Workforce Advisors are to:

• provide services to students and adults for career planning, employment seeking, training, and other support functions;

• provide information, resources, and professional development programs to educators;

• provide information and resources to employers including, but not limited to, education partnerships, career-oriented learning, and training services;

• facilitate local connections among businesses and those involved in education; and

• work with school districts and institutions of higher education to create and coordinate workforce education programs.

Regional Workforce Advisors are a part of the Employment Services Division within DEW, and work in conjunction with the Office of Statewide Workforce Development and the Coordinating Council for Workforce Development. Each Regional Workforce Advisor also has an Advisory Board comprised of local leaders in their region.

There is one Regional Workforce Advisor located in each of the 12 Local Workforce Development Areas across the state.

Click here to connect with your local RWA.

Click here to review the RWA fact card. 

Education Talent Pipeline Ecosystem 

RWA Ecosystem Map 

State Government Key Partners 

•  Find Your Future SC - find information about living and working in South Carolina? You have come to the right place -- this is where you Find Your Future.
• SC Association of School Administrators is the voice and advocate of quality public education for all students and provides leadership development and support for school leaders.
• SC Commission on Higher Education-The South Carolina Commission on Higher Education was established in 1967 and serves as the coordinating board for South Carolina’s 33 public institutions of higher learning.
• SC Department of Commerce - creates economic opportunities to increase choices for all South Carolinians.
• SC Department of Education - Serves students, supports teachers, empowers parents, and engages in the community so that every student graduates prepared to reach their full potential.
• SC Department of Juvenile Justice -offers a wide range of education, prevention, job-readiness, work and other programs. These programs are designed to introduce young people to new interests and opportunities to enhance long-term outcomes, as well as support and invest in communities impacted by youth crime.
• SC Parks, Recreation and Tourism - growing South Carolina’s economy by fostering sustainable tourism economic development and effectively marketing our state to increase visitation and improve the quality of life for all South Carolinians.
• SC Restaurant and Lodging Association - is dedicated to the growth and success of the hospitality industry and its economic impact in the state through advocacy, education and innovation.
• SC Technical College System - Comprised of 16 colleges located strategically across the state and two internationally-renowned statewide programs: readySC™ and Apprenticeship Carolina™, the SC Technical College System is dedicated to furthering economic and workforce development in South Carolina.
• YES -Empowering tomorrow’s leaders with a job board that showcases work opportunities for teenage job seekers with no prior work experience.

Statewide Key Partners

• Apprenticeship Carolina  - leads South Carolina in registered apprenticeship programs that help businesses and communities thrive economically.
• Jobs for America’s Graduates -helps youth facing significant challenges to reach economic and academic success.
• Junior Achievement -is a nonprofit that inspires and prepares young people for success.
• Microburst Learning - ensures their training and development processes get people excited, involved and committed to doing things better for themselves and their organizations. We highly value giving participants proven tools and techniques that can be applied immediately on the job. Provide schools with career ready tools to enhance exploration and readiness.
• SC Bio - a statewide, non-profit, industry association and economic development organization tasked with building the business of life sciences in South Carolina’s life sciences industry.
• SC Competes- drives the long-term economic future by providing actionable research, network growth, and resources that SC industry clusters need to thrive.
• SC Governor’s School for Agriculture- The Only Residential Public High School In America Devoted To Agriculture.
• SC Governor’s School for Arts and Humanities-a residential high school that gives young emerging artists the opportunity to explore and refine their talents in a one-of-a-kind, arts-centered community.
• SC Governor’s School for Math and Science - a STEM High School that is tuition-free, in-residence program provides high school juniors & seniors with exceptionally strong academic preparation across disciplines.
• SC Hospital Association - a private, not-for-profit organization founded in 1921 to serve as the collective voice of the state’s hospital community.
• SC Society for Human Resource Management- the resource for HR knowledge in South Carolina.
• SC Manufacturing Alliance -  As the state’s preeminent industrial trade association, the SCMA is the single most effective advocate for advancing manufacturing in South Carolina, including many educational initiatives like SC Future Makers.
• SC Manufacturing Extension Partnership - private, non-profit group that serves as a proven resource to South Carolina manufacturers, providing them with a range of innovative strategies and solutions to improve competitiveness, performance, and profitability.
• WIN Career Readiness System- e-learning solutions include career exploration tools, academic and employability skills courseware, and Academic Skills, Soft Skills, and Digital Skills credentials as important foundational elements for creating a more effective and efficient system to prepare learners and job seekers for career and life success.

Regional Partners

• Chambers of Commerce
• Economic Development Alliances and Organizations
• Community Organizations
• Trade Associations

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Regional Education Center Advisor Board (RECAB) 

RECAB Listings 

• Example - Santee-Lynches
  • member 1
  • member 2
  • member 3
  • member 4

Statewide Education and Workforce Bill 

2023-2024 Bill 3726: Statewide Education and Workforce Development Act 

RECAB Board Meetings 

• Notification of RECAB Meeting
• RECAB Meeting Archives 

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Explore Careers & Pathways in SC

Interested in obtaining educational resources such as the Explore SC @ Work Bookmarks, the Career Peeks Booklet, and more?

 Click here to connect with your local RWA.

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Data Resources

Education Profiles

• Education Profiles will be listed here. 

 

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who are the Regional Workforce Advisors and why were they created?

Regional Workforce Advisors (RWAs) were originally established by the Education and Economic Development Act of 2005, which was comprehensive, reform-focused legislation that addresses workforce development through education reform.  Elected officials partnered with educators and business leaders to pass this legislation to build a world-class education system that connects education with economic development.  With the passing of the Statewide Education and Workforce Development Act in 2023, the RWAs joined the South Carolian Department of Employment and Workforce team. Within this law, twelve Regional Education Centers (RECs), now known as Regional Workforce Advisors (RWAs), were created across the state to coordinate and facilitate the delivery of information, resources and services to students, educators, parents, employers, and the community at-large.

What are the responsibilities of the RWAs, and who do they serve? 

The primary responsibilities of the Regional Workforce Advisors are directed and specified in the Statewide Education and Workforce Development Act.  RWAs are to coordinate and facilitate the delivery of information, resources, and services to students, educators, employers, and the community.  These opportunities can provide the following:

• Exposure to career pathways and educational opportunities in South Carolina for students.

• Professional development that includes labor market information, workforce trends, and business connections for educators and school leadership. 

• Opportunity for business and industry partners to learn and explore their local schools, ways to get involved in experiential learning, and how they can impact classroom learning through participation to grow the talent pipeline.     

• Impacting communities, and potentially regions, by aligning resources to support local workforce development. 

RWAs work in collaboration and in partnership to connect systems and stakeholders.  The RWA role is strategic and collaborative supporting partnerships and scaling impact across multiple schools and employers.  While we concentrate on developing the talent pipeline needed for the region, and for the state of South Carolina, the RWA positions are localized positions, and opportunities may look different across the state. 

Do the Regional Workforce Advisors have boards?

The Regional Workforce Advisor’s geographic area of responsibility does have an advisory board that includes the following local and regional leadership: 

• a school district superintendent

• high school principal

• local workforce investment board chairperson

• technical college president

• four-year college or university representative

• career center director or school district career and technology education coordinator

• parent-teacher organization representative

• business and civic leaders. 

More information about the Regional Education Center Advisory Boards (RECABs) can be found here. 

If I am an educator, school, or business, how can I get in contact with my RWA? 

There is one Regional Workforce Advisor located in each of the 12 Local Workforce Development Areas across the state.  Educators, schools, and businesses can reach out to have a conversation about opportunities for partnership and workforce solutions.  Click here to connect with your local RWA.

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