Employment and Workforce Executive Director Dan Ellzey’s Statement
August 2021 Employment Situation

Columbia, SC – “It is another month of good news for South Carolina. The unemployment rate dropped for the eighth consecutive month – to 4.2%. The number of jobs rose to 2,302,743, which continues to exceed the record-setting number of jobs we had in months prior to the pandemic. South Carolina’s strong growth is something to celebrate,” said S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce Executive Director Dan Ellzey.

“Even with all of the jobs added to the workforce in the past several months, there are still more than 100,000 jobs posted in the SC Works Online System (SCWOS). This is another testament to the strength of the economy. Even with the dramatic increase in jobs over the past months, employers are still ready to hire 100,000 additional people,” continued Ellzey.

“Employers who are having challenges finding workers should reach out to us for assistance. We have Individual Employer Programs, in-person and virtual job fair and hiring event services, education and training opportunities, job matching and referral programs, recruiting services and more. We are also happy to talk with you about a specific pilot program that we could build together to help attract and retain employees. And, all of that is free,” said Ellzey.

“For job seekers, this means that the time is right to find work in your local area. If you need help finding positions for your experience and skill set, need someone to give you resume feedback and assistance, want to attend a reemployment workshop, or are interested in hiring activities happening all over the state, the representatives in the SC Works centers are ready to help,” said Ellzey.

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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. 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.