SC DEW’s traveling job fair aims to reduce rural unemployment

WINNSBORO, SC (WOLO) — For those in rural South Carolina, finding a job can be difficult.

However, the state department of employment and workforce says the jobs are out there. 

“We want to connect job seekers from rural communities with employers in those communities and beyond. We have 100,000 jobs in South Carolina that are yet to be filled,” said SC Dept. of Employment and Workforce (DEW) director William Floyd. “We have more people working than ever before but more jobs are coming. More jobs need to be filled even now.”

Even with so many open positions, South Carolina’s unemployment rate is a little more than 3 percent. A lack of job opportunities is not the reason some are not working.

“One barrier is transportation,” Floyd explained. “Another can be connectivity with the internet.”

This week, the ‘South Carolina at Work Road Trip’ stopped in Winnsboro on Thursday. Fairfield County residents were able to meet with several local employers such as the German-based company Bomag.

“If somebody is thinking about doing something internationally, it’s a good in,” said Bomag employee Sateva Fox.

Bomag produces road construction equipment and workers can learn skills through an apprenticeship program.

“In that program, they’ll learn things like hydraulics and a little bit of welding,” Fox said. “It’s fine tuning skills so that they’re able to successfully put a large paver together.”

Many jobs at Bomag and some of the other employers require experience, but most of the companies say they will train the right employee.

“We’re all about training. We have a skill-based pay plan,” said Dishawn Parnell, Isola human resources director. “We hire people based on the jobs they are able to learn. We have some entry-level positions which are a great starting point. We focus on cross training.”

DEW’s director says manufacturing companies in the state are also paying good salaries.

“New employers as well as existing employers are providing wages that were only dreamt of previously,” Floyd said. “These are family-sustaining wages that are available out there.”

Earlier this week, the job fair made stops in Union and Chester. No matter what community you live in or when you’re looking for a job, those with DEW say there are plenty out there. For more information, check out their website here.