Employment and Workforce Executive Director William Floyd’s Statement

September 2026 Employment Situation

Columbia, S.C. – "September saw continued, significant employment growth and prosperity in South Carolina’s workforce. The number of people employed in the state rose to a new record high of 2,573,275, meaning nearly 6,500 new residents found employment since August, and over 73,000 more people are employed now compared to this time last year,” said South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW) Executive Director William Floyd.

“South Carolina currently has the fastest growing labor force in the nation in 2026. Our labor force, which is the combined total of South Carolinians working and those not employed but looking for work, grew by 4,146 people month-over-month, and is now at a historic high of 2,679,964. Equally impressive, the state’s unemployment rate dropped for the seventh consecutive month in September to 4.0%, which is below the national unemployment rate of 4.2%. In more good news, the pace of job growth rose as non-farm payrolls increased 2.3 percent year-over-year, and there is substantial payroll growth across a broad range of industries, including substantial increases in construction, healthcare, and leisure and hospitality," continued Floyd.

“September was Workforce Development Month, and our agency celebrated with hundreds of events spotlighting our state’s strong employers, countless career pathways, and growing workforce as mentioned in my prior statement. DEW celebrates jobseekers and employers continuously throughout the year, and October is no exception to recognizing workforce achievements and providing services at SC Works centers statewide. Our agency is currently celebrating Manufacturing Month by participating in manufacturing-themed job fairs and student hands-on learning activities, as well as sharing jobseeker success stories and relevant labor market information on social media. I also had the pleasure of welcoming South Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership President and CEO Andy Carr to The Works Podcast, where we spoke about the importance of manufacturers and manufacturing jobs in South Carolina,” stated Floyd.

“DEW is also celebrating National Disability Employment Awareness Month in October by hosting job fairs with disability providers and posting testimonials on social media from gainfully employed individuals with disabilities – and it is outstanding how many of those disability success stories are in the manufacturing world! I also had the pleasure of interviewing Commissioner Felicia Johnson, who leads the South Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation Department, about the importance of connecting jobseekers with disabilities with the training and networking opportunities they need to succeed. These two episodes, and many more covering Workforce, Opportunities, Resources, and the Key to Success (WORKS) for our state's businesses and workers, are available at findyourfuture.sc.gov/theworks for anyone wanting to learn more about our state’s exciting workforce efforts,” concluded Floyd.

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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.