Three Things to Know: June 27th

This week's information compiled by your SC Chamber team includes: 
Report Touts Economic Impact of Infrastructure Investments in S.C., CCWD Releases "Workforce Pulse" Report, Do You Know About the Employer Support for the Guard and Reserve (ESGR)?

 1. Report Touts Economic Impact of Infrastructure Investments in S.C.

A new report released this week by the American Council of Engineering Companies of South Carolina (ACEC-SC) in partnership with the University of South Carolina’s Darla Moore School of Business projects that from 2021-2027, infrastructure investment and the construction industry will have a total impact of $56 billion on the state’s economy, creating over 45,000 jobs, underscoring just how much infrastructure investment powers South Carolina’s economy.

The report also shows that in-state infrastructure maintenance, modernization, and expansion could lead to the creation of 157,000 new jobs over the next decade, to the tune of more than $16 billion in annual labor income for South Carolinians. The report found that these jobs, spanning construction, engineering, logistics, and professional services, pay 9.8% higher annual income than other jobs across the state.

With continued investments in infrastructure, the state’s employment will grow by 1.5% compared to a rate of just .9% without, as improved infrastructure unlocks greater productivity across multiple sectors, from logistics and manufacturing to healthcare, tourism, and agriculture.

Learn more here.

2. CCWD Releases "Workforce Pulse" Report

This week, the Coordinating Council for Workforce Development (CCWD) released a report titled “South Carolina Workforce Pulse: Perceptions, Priorities, and Policy Implications”. The report is the result of a statewide survey to better understand public perception, priorities, and barriers related to employment and identify actionable insights to guide workforce development.

Specifically, the objectives of the survey were to measure baseline awareness and preferences of eight industry sectors, explore perceived barriers and motivators, capture social and demographic context, support CCWD’s public engagement and messaging, and ultimately deliver actionable recommendations. Key findings of the report include:  

• Limited public awareness exists in fast-growing industries
• Perceived workforce challenges are structural and specific to the industry or sector
• The public has a narrow understanding of job types outside of front-line roles
• Priorities of job seekers and a sector’s perceived offerings are mismatched
• Long-term value perceptions favor Public and Health sectors 
• Job market sentiment is divided across different demographic groups  
• The main barrier to the job market is access to the job, not availability 
• Training and career advancement opportunities are perceived to be uneven
• Jobseekers face structural barriers and increasingly prioritize flexibility 
• Veterans continue to encounter credentialing and navigation gaps 

The report offered ten strategic recommendations including specific next steps to implement to help combat the barriers to workforce development. The recommendations were to:  

• Launch targeted awareness campaigns in sectors poised for growth
• Close perception gaps to attract next-generation talent
• Use trust-based messaging to promote healthcare-related careers
• Tailor workforce strategies to regional needs
• Streamline employer outreach and engagement across agencies
• Expand access to training and credentialing pathways for all 
• Enhance employer support for flexibility, stability, and advancement 
• Prioritize wage transparency and job quality messaging for streamlined communication of job availability  
• Shift the narrative from job quantity, or available jobs, to job quality, being livable jobs
• Strengthen workforce messaging using digital and in-person channels

Read the full report here.

3. Do You Know About the Employer Support for the Guard and Reserve (ESGR)?

As a South Carolina employer, you should know about the Employer Support for the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) and how to contact them.

The ESGR has been around since 1972 and is a division of the United States Department of Defense (DOD), primarily staffed by volunteers. Their role is to assist in making the relationship between employers and their National Guard and Reserve employees work as smoothly as possible.

Most employers are familiar with FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act) but not familiar with USERRA (Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act) which is the law governing Guard and Reserve employees when they leave for and return to their civilian employers for military service.

ESGR has a team in each state and territory ready to assist employers in answering any questions they might have concerning their employees in the National Guard or the Reserves. While helpful resources exist on their website, ESGR is also willing to come and brief a company’s Management or HR teams no matter how small or large the company. This is all provided for at no cost to the employer.

ESGR is there to support both the employer and the service member as a disinterested neutral party. Their goal is to prevent issues from being escalated to either the Department of Labor (DOL) or civilian litigation, which can be costly even if the company is found not to be in violation.

Even if you don’t currently have an employee in the Guard or Reserve, you never know when you might hire one or when a current employee might decide to serve, so keep the ESGR resources on the top of your mind and make sure others in your company are aware.