Charleston, SC Economic Development
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Fast-Growing Talent PoolEmployers seeking the best and brightest find a growing pool of skilled talent in the Charleston region. While the United States continues to shed manufacturing jobs, Charleston's healthy manufacturing sector has led to double-digit growth of our production-related workforce. And a burgeoning technology sector is building a strong base of technically skilled workers, especially in the areas of engineering and information technology. |
 
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Charleston Regional Business Journal
Oct. 13, 2008  RSS
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Charleston S.C. MSA Workforce & Employment Profile
| Workforce Statistics | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Civilian Workforce1 | 2000 | 2007 | % Change | Forecast 2008 | Forecast 2009 |
| Labor Force | 266,123 | 314,960 | 18.4% | 316,471 | 320,655 |
| Employed | 257,713 | 300,353 | 16.5% | 302,305 | 305,876 |
| Unemployed | 8,410 | 14,607 | - | 14,166 | 14,779 |
| Unemployment Rate (%) | 3.2% | 4.6% | - | 4.5% | 4.6% |
| Expanded Labor Pool2 | 2000 | 2006 | 2007 | ||
| Commuters into MSA | 10,778 | - | - | ||
| Commuters out of MSA | 8,360 | - | - | ||
| Underemployed Workers3 | - | 30,000 | - | ||
| Annual High School Graduates | - | - | 4,321 | ||
| Annual Post-Secondary Degrees Conferred | - | - | 6,606 | ||
| Employment by Industry | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NAICS Sectors4 | 2007 Total Employment | 2007 % of Total Employment | % Change 2000-2007 | % Change 1997-2007 |
| Natural Resources,Mining & Construction | 21,800 | 7.3% | 10.7% | 38.0% |
| Manufacturing | 22,300 | 7.5% | -2.6% | 6.7% |
| Wholesale Trade | 8,900 | 3.0% | 21.9% | 50.8% |
| Retail Trade | 37,900 | 12.7% | 10.5% | 24.7% |
| Transportation & Utilities | 12,400 | 4.2% | -6.8% | 14.8% |
| Information | 5,100 | 1.7% | 21.4% | 59.4% |
| Financial Activities | 14,200 | 4.8% | 24.6% | 37.9% |
| Professional & Business Services | 41,400 | 13.9% | 29.4% | 63.0% |
| Education & Health Services | 30,200 | 10.1% | 28.0% | 43.8% |
| Leisure and Hospitality | 36,700 | 12.3% | 18.4% | 35.4% |
| Other Services | 12,000 | 4.0% | 26.3% | 33.3% |
| Government | 55,800 | 18.7% | 11.2% | 14.1% |
| Total Nonagricultural Employment | 298,700 | 100.0% | 15.2% | 30.6% |
| Employment & Wages by Occupation | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Occupation Title5 | 2007 Total Employment | 2007 % Total Employment | % Change 2000-2007 | 2007 Avg Hourly Wage ($) | 2007 Median Hourly Wage ($) |
| All Occupations | 287,220 | 100% | 3.3% | 17.09 | 13.85 |
| Architecture & Engineering | 4,200 | 1.5% | 52.1% | 29.95 | 28.86 |
| Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports & Media | 1,870 | 0.7% | 55.1% | 17.83 | 15.21 |
| Building & Grounds Cleaning / Maintenance | 9,840 | 3.4% | 13.4% | 9.51 | 8.70 |
| Business & Financial Operations | 7,070 | 2.5% | 37.5% | 26.30 | 24.50 |
| Community & Social Services | 2,610 | 0.9% | 28.4% | 16.26 | 15.12 |
| Computer & Mathematical | 3,160 | 1.1% | 51.6% | 27.93 | 25.82 |
| Construction & Extraction | 14,270 | 5.0% | 23.2% | 15.99 | 15.14 |
| Education, Training & Library | 14,870 | 5.2% | -1.6% | 19.32 | 18.90 |
| Farming, Fishing & Forestry | 260 | 0.1% | 30.8% | 13.65 | 13.73 |
| Food Preparation & Serving Related | 22,690 | 7.9% | 27.4% | 8.58 | 7.59 |
| Healthcare Practitioners & Technical | 12,840 | 4.5% | 40.7% | 28.59 | 24.42 |
| Healthcare Support | 5,530 | 1.9% | 29.7% | 11.95 | 10.92 |
| Installation, Maintenance & Repair | 11,370 | 4.0% | 18.8% | 17.54 | 16.89 |
| Legal | 1,580 | 0.6% | 34.8% | 32.09 | 23.35 |
| Life, Physical & Social Science | 1,840 | 0.6% | -1.1% | 25.78 | 23.61 |
| Management | 15,980 | 5.6% | -19.7% | 40.47 | 35.95 |
| Office & Administrative Support | 35,670 | 12.4% | 35.0% | 13.79 | 12.95 |
| Personal Care & Service | 4,810 | 1.7% | 56.1% | 10.64 | 9.12 |
| Production | 15,630 | 5.4% | 17.5% | 15.11 | 14.19 |
| Protective Service | 5,730 | 2.0% | 12.4% | 14.54 | 13.97 |
| Sales & Related | 24,130 | 8.4% | 25.6% | 13.98 | 10.01 |
| Transportation & Material Moving | 18,450 | 6.4% | 14.5% | 13.59 | 11.50 |
Notes & Sources:
(1) U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2008. Forecast data from Center for Business Research, Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce 3/2008
(2) 2000 Census, U.S. Census Bureau (latest available)
(3) Pathfinders study; S.C. Dept of Education; S.C. Commission on Higher Education, 2007
(4) U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics (CES); NAICS = North American Industry Classification System
(5) U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Wages & Employment By Occupation Survey 2007, released 2008.
Highly Skilled & Available
Charleston area businesses draw upon a diverse and ever-deepening pool of talent comprised of:- New skilled labor. Steady streams of new workers are relocating to the region.
- Local college graduates. Nearly 6,000 degrees are awarded locally each year.
- Commuters. Nearly 11,000 residents from surrounding counties commute into the Charleston region to work.
- The military. More than 18,000 military retirees live in the area, with most continuing their careers in the private sector.
Civilian Workforce Growth Rates 2000-2007
| Charleston MSA | South Carolina | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labor Force Growth Rate | 18.4% | 8.3% | 7.4% |
| Employment Growth Rate | 16.5% | 5.7% | 6.7% |
| Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 3/2008 | |||
Underemployment
According to a February 2006 workforce assessment study, conducted by an independent national consultant group, approximately 30,000 workers in the Charleston region can be defined as "underemployed." Contact Heyward Horton at the Charleston Regional Development Alliance for the full report.2007 Charleston S.C. MSA Wages by Occupation
| Occupation Title | Hourly Average | Annual Average | Hourly Median | Annual Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Occupations | $17.09 | $35,540 | $13.85 | $28,800 |
| Architecture & Engineering | $29.95 | $62,290 | $28.86 | $60,030 |
| Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports & Media | $17.83 | $37,080 | $15.21 | $31,630 |
| Building & Grounds Cleaning / Maintenance | $9.51 | $19,780 | $8.70 | $18,100 |
| Business & Financial Operations | $26.30 | $54,700 | $24.50 | $50,970 |
| Community & Social Services | $16.26 | $33,820 | $15.12 | $31,440 |
| Computer & Mathematical | $27.93 | $58,090 | $25.82 | $53,710 |
| Construction & Extraction | $15.99 | $33,250 | $15.14 | $31,490 |
| Education, Training & Library | $19.32 | $40,190 | $18.90 | $39,300 |
| Farming, Fishing & Forestry | $13.65 | $28,390 | $13.73 | $28,560 |
| Food Preparation & Serving Related | $8.58 | $17,840 | $7.59 | $15,780 |
| Healthcare Practitioners & Technical | $28.59 | $59,460 | $24.42 | $50,790 |
| Healthcare Support | $11.95 | $24,850 | $10.92 | $22,720 |
| Installation, Maintenance & Repair | $17.54 | $36,490 | $16.89 | $35,130 |
| Legal | $32.09 | $66,750 | $23.35 | $48,560 |
| Life, Physical & Social Science | $25.78 | $53,620 | $23.61 | $49,100 |
| Management | $40.47 | $84,190 | $35.95 | $74,770 |
| Office & Administrative Support | $13.79 | $28,680 | $12.95 | $26,940 |
| Personal Care & Service | $10.64 | $22,120 | $9.12 | $18,960 |
| Production | $15.11 | $31,430 | $14.19 | $29,510 |
| Protective Service | $14.54 | $30,250 | $13.97 | $29,070 |
| Sales & Related | $13.98 | $29,080 | $10.01 | $20,810 |
| Transportation & Material Moving | $13.59 | $28,270 | $11.50 | $23,920 |
| Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 9/2008. | ||||
2007 Unionization Rate
| Unionization Rate | |
|---|---|
| Charleston MSA | 2.0% |
| United States | 12.1% |
| Source: Center for Business Research, Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce. Unionization rate is for civilian workers in the Charleston, S.C. MSA. South Carolina is a right-to-work state. | |
Workforce Training / Development
The state of South Carolina helps fund the training needs of South Carolina businesses through three major workforce training options:- Customized workforce training (readySC) at little or no cost to qualifying companies
- Jobs Training Partnership Program (JTPA) / Workforce Investment Act (WIA), provided by the Trident One-Stop Career Center
- Existing industry retraining funds
