South Carolina Revamps Workers' Comp System
WORKFORCE AND EDUCATION
In June, a significant announcement was made in regard to the state's well- known and award-winning Center for Accelerated Technology Training program, which began in 1964 and which is a division of the South Carolina Technical College System. CATT has been renamed readySC, and its new brand platform is ‘we're ready' meaning the state is ready to help start up a greenfield site; ready to help expand an existing facility; ready to recruit and train the right employees with the right skills and motivation; and ready to customize training programs to deliver skills to meet companies' needs and deadlines. Workforce training services include recruiting, assessment, training development, management and implementation services.
“The system's (technical college) goal is to make and keep South Carolina ready for business and industry ensuring they have the workforce and educational and training resources they need to succeed,” said Dr. Barry Russell, president, South Carolina Technical College System, at the time of the announcement. “This new logo and readySC tagline are great visual reminders of the importance of this role in developing our state's economic future.”
BUSINESS CLIMATE
The role of South Carolinas quality of life cannot be overlooked as a business factor. In Beaufort County, Statler says officials have found that the workforce doesn't want to wait until retirement to enjoy a wonderful quality of life, so they are taking whatever business situation they are in and choosing to locate to the quality of life environment they want to live in. “Them is no reason to have a second home here and not be able to have your business here,' Statler says.
Beaufort County features integrated live, work and play developments. The Buckwalter PUD is a 94-acre parcel that features residential, business (technology park), and commercial developments. The Beaufort Town Center is a development suited to a higher-end commercial environment. It has attracted a new hotel complex; in August, the developer was expected to open its available space.
In other quality of life enhancements in Beaufort County , the town of Port Royal is working in cooperation with the state's port authority to redevelop the Port Royal Landing, which will create additional opportunities for high-tech related developments.
In regard to South Carolina 's business advantages, Boric writes the state was ranked the second-most business- friendly state in the nation by Pollina Corporate Real Estate, Inc. in its recent annual ranking of pro-business states. The state is also found to have a dynamic environment for entrepreneurs, according to Entrepreneur. And the Port of Charleston was ranked No. 1 in customer satisfaction by World Trade.
