Podcast

Guest

Dr. Rebecca Battle-Bryant, Director of the Office of Statewide Workforce Development (OSWD)

Summary

The conversation explores Rebecca's professional background, the mission of the OSWD, and explains how the Coordinating Council for Workforce Development (CCWD) works alongside the OSWD to impact South Carolina's workforce. Through conversations with the public, collaboration with CCWD members, and enhancements to the Find Your Future Website, which serves as the bridge to the Find Your Future Portal, the OSWD and CCWD are working together to strengthen and sustain South Carolina's workforce.

LMI Minute

For more information on the data presented in the LMI Minute segment, please visit the CCWD Publications page of the LMI Website.

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Guest

Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette

Summary

In this episode, DEW Executive Director William Floyd sits down with South Carolina Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette to discuss the importance of soft skills in preparing the next generation of South Carolina's workforce. The conversation explores the growing need for workplace readiness, the value of youth employment, and how early job experiences help young people develop accountability, professionalism, and financial responsibility. Through insights shared for employers across the state and continued collaboration with the Coordinating Council for Workforce Development, the discuss highlights how leaders are working together to ensure students are equipped with the foundational skills necessary for long-term career success.

To learn more about youth employment opportunities, visit dew.sc.gov/youthemployment. To explore career pathways and workforce resources, visit findyourfuture.sc.gov. 

LMI Minute

The report mentioned in this episode is available to read here. 

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 Buzzsprout 

Guest

Dr. Rebecca Battle-Bryant, Director of the Office of Statewide Workforce Development (OSWD)

Summary

DEW Executive Director William Floyd sits down with Dr. Rebecca Battle-Bryant, Director of the Office of Statewide Workforce Development, to discuss the important role internships play in strengthening South Carolina’s workforce pipeline. The conversation explores how internships help students build skills, increase awareness of career opportunities in their communities, and connect with employers earlier across the state. Dr. Battle-Bryant also shares how employers and educators can work together to expand access to internships, especially for high school students, and explains how these efforts support the priorities of the Coordinating Council for Workforce Development and the Unified State Plan. Through collaboration with education partners, employers, and workforce leaders across South Carolina, these initiatives are helping create stronger pathways that connect more people with work and more work with people.

LMI Minute

For more information on the data presented in the LMI Minute segment, please visit the South Carolina Department of Education's SC Work-Based Learning Report.

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 Buzzsprout 

Guest

Warren Snead, Vice Chairman of the State Workforce Development Board and Human Resource Manager at Cooper Standard 

Summary

DEW Executive Director William Floyd sits down with Warren Snead, Vice Chairman of the State Workforce Development Board and Human Resource Manager at Cooper Standard, to discuss the important role internships play in helping students connect to real career opportunities and how employers across South Carolina are building strong talent pipelines through career exploration programs. 

The conversation also highlights how DEW’s Stay to Apply Your Skills (STAYS) program supports transitioning service members and their spouses as they enter civilian careers, and how public-private partnerships across the state between employers and state agencies, like the Coordinating Council for Workforce Development and State Workforce Development Board, continue strengthening career pathways for students and veterans.

LMI Minute

For more information on the data presented in the LMI Minute segment, please visit the South Carolina Department of Education's SC Work-Based Learning Report.

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 Buzzsprout 

Guest

Dr. Tim Hardee, President and Executive Director of the South Carolina Technical College System and Vice Chair of the Coordinating Council for Workforce Development 

Summary

In honor of National Apprenticeship Week, DEW Executive Director William Floyd celebrates South Carolina's apprenticeship programs as being the best in the nation. He sits down with Tim Hardee, President and Executive Director of the South Carolina Technical College System and Vice Chair of the Coordinating Council for Workforce Development, to discuss how partnerships with employers, apprenticeship programs, and training pathways are helping connect South Carolinians to opportunity.

The conversation also highlights how the Technical College System serves approximately 160,000 students each year and works with community and industries across South Carolina to prepare individuals for careers that support the state's growing workforce needs.

LMI Minute

For more information on the data presented in the LMI Minute segment, please visit sctechsystem.edu.

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 Buzzsprout