HOUSE REPUBLICANS WORK TO PREPARE FUTURE WORKFORCE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Majority Leader Davey Hiott

March 8, 2023 803-734-3139

A UNIFIED, COMPREHENSIVE STATEWIDE EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PLAN

(Columbia, S.C.) - Today, the SC House of Representatives passed the Statewide Education and Workforce Development Act, a bill that consolidates, coordinates, and aligns all workforce development efforts statewide to eliminate duplication, improve efficiencies, and achieve a more coordinated approach in our workforce and education pipeline. The bill passed with overwhelming bipartisan support. The vote was 102-3.

“This is an investment in education and workforce development,” said House Assistant Majority Leader Jay West (R-Abbeville, Anderson & Greenville). “It provides the tools and resources to get people jobs, and help students, parents, and job seekers make informed career choices.”

“We are enhancing accountability and transparency of all publicly funded workforce development services and promoting a customer-centric system,” said House Majority Leader Davey Hiott (R-Pickens). “Doing so will help us meet the immediate and future workforce demands and economic development commitments we have made in South Carolina.”

“In one touch you will have all the info you need; available jobs, future jobs, credentials needed, where and how to get those credentials, the cost of training, and salary range,” said West.

H.3726 will deliver value-added services to business customers by collaborating with them to address skills shortages in priority industries and in-demand occupations, provides for broader dissemination of information to help students, parents, and job seekers make career choices, and addresses obstacles to employment to increase labor participation.

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