Employment and Workforce Executive Director William Floyd’s Statement

December 2024 Employment Situation

Columbia, S.C. – “South Carolina ended 2024 strong by achieving the largest labor force in the state’s history, a record number of people working, and a record number of jobs,” said the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW) Executive Director William Floyd. “More specifically, December’s labor force was 2,536,654, an increase of more than 66,000 individuals year-over-year, with the highest number of people working in the state at 2,417,169, and a year-over-year increase in payrolls of 54,000, or 2.3%.”

“This healthy pace of job growth along with continued gains in the state’s labor force caused a slight reduction in the unemployment rate from 4.8% in November to 4.7% in December,” continued Floyd. “South Carolina experienced month-over-month employment gains in a variety of industries in December including Construction, Finance & Insurance, and Private Educational Services. It is encouraging that many state industries are increasing their hiring as the state’s population continues to grow. “

“Individuals in South Carolina who are looking for a new job or a career change should connect with DEW’s New Year, New Career initiative in January and February,” said Floyd. “There are lots of resources to explore different jobs and careers. One resource is the agency’s Explore SC@Work campaign which provides information, data, and statistics about a variety of occupations across the state. There are also education, training, and upskilling opportunities provided through the premier South Carolina Technical College System, internships and apprenticeships with our employers, and industry-specific career pathways that include on-the-job training.”

“To learn more about how you can start the year by exploring a new career, contact your local SC Works center to talk with a representative and get personalized services and support,” said Floyd. “DEW and SC Works also provide unique and convenient ways to connect with us. The SC Works Virtual Engagement Center allows jobseekers to speak to live representatives and visit virtual jobseeker booths; the SC@Work: Rural Connections team travels the state and attends community events in rural areas to provide on-site services to South Carolinians; and the S.T.A.Y.S. program assists Veterans and their families by connecting participants and employers to support workforce development for these valuable jobseekers. These are just a few examples of how our agency helps leverage jobseeker and employer connections in the state.”

As a reminder, in February of each year, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) conducts its annual revision of national estimates from the Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) and the Current Employment Statistics (CES) monthly survey. For that reason, numbers for January 2025 will be released on March 17 and numbers for February 2025 will be released on March 28.

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The S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce is putting South Carolinians to work. The agency has four missions: (1) workforce development; (2) free job match employment services; (3) unemployment insurance; and (4) labor market information. All four missions contribute to workforce development in South Carolina. The agency is dedicated to advancing South Carolina through services and programs that meet the needs of our businesses, job seekers, and those looking to advance their careers.