Workforce scholarship program gets $25 million boost

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South Carolina residents seeking workforce training will get a boost from an additional $25 million investment in the Workforce Scholarships for the Future program announced this week by S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster.

The scholarship program, created in November 2021, covers the cost of tuition and fees at any of the state’s 16 technical colleges for any adult or recent high school graduate who wants to pursue a credential or associate degree in a high-demand field such as manufacturing, health care, computer science or logistics.

“With over 65,000 jobs created in just the last five years, South Carolina has experienced record-breaking economic growth,” the governor said in a statement. “To continue to attract more jobs and investment to South Carolina, we must invest in our people to make sure we can meet the ever-changing needs of our business community.”

The additional $25 million investment combined with $39 million allocated by the General Assembly in this year’s state budget should cover the costs to train or retrain about 40,000 people, according to the governor’s office.

The scholarships have proven results in getting workers trained to meet the state’s constantly rising demand for a skilled workforce, which includes dramatic increases in manufacturing employment needs, according to Sara Hazzard, president and CEO of the S.C. Manufacturers Alliance.

“Investing in scholarships that South Carolina citizens can use for training and upskilling for careers in high demand professions ensures our workforce pipeline and economic potential remains strong,” Hazzard said in a statement. “We applaud Gov. McMaster and members of the General Assembly for supporting this important initiative, and we look forward to its continued success.”