Regional Workforce Advisor in Action
Regional Workforce Advisors connect with students, educators, and employers across the state to highlight the importance of workforce education.
Click the photos to see quick recaps of RWA events.
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Regional Workforce Advisor in the News
Click the news stories linked below to read more.
- Hire Summit brings students and potential employers together at Aiken High School
- Boeing – Governor McMaster and the Department of Employment and Workforce Announce Boeing as the Inaugural 2023 Workforce Champion Award
- WSPA – SC Lt. Gov. stops in Upstate, highlights teen workforce
- The Berkley Independent – SC Works Trident hosting annual ‘Your Next Step’ Career Fair May 7
- WLTX News 19 – 38,000 job openings in South Carolina: High school diploma holders in high demand
- The Augusta Press – Aiken County Public Schools celebrates career technology students in completer ceremony
- Aiken Standard – Eighth graders explore career options with the help of local businesses
- Operation Space Talk SC Connects Middle School Students with the International Space Station | SC Department of Employment and Workforce
- Economic Alliance for Sumter and Lee Counties Women of Influence - RWA Brenda Gardner
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Regional Workforce Advisors Video Library
These videos offer an inside look into the responsibilities and impact of South Carolina's Regional Workforce Advisors. Each video highlights our RWA's and businesses across the state as they work together to bridge the gap between education and the workforce. Prepare to see RWA's connecting with schools, students, and business to create and elevate workforce opportunities.
Click HERE to view our video library.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the Regional Workforce Advisors and why were they created?
Regional Workforce Advisors (RWAs) were originally established by the Education and Economic Development Act of 2005, which was comprehensive, reform-focused legislation that addresses workforce development through education reform. Elected officials partnered with educators and business leaders to pass this legislation to build a world-class education system that connects education with economic development. With the passing of the Statewide Education and Workforce Development Act in 2023, the RWAs joined the South Carolian Department of Employment and Workforce team. Within this law, twelve Regional Education Centers (RECs), now known as Regional Workforce Advisors (RWAs), were created across the state to coordinate and facilitate the delivery of information, resources and services to students, educators, parents, employers, and the community at-large.
What are the responsibilities of the RWAs, and who do they serve?
The primary responsibilities of the Regional Workforce Advisors are directed and specified in the Statewide Education and Workforce Development Act. RWAs are to coordinate and facilitate the delivery of information, resources, and services to students, educators, employers, and the community. These opportunities can provide the following:
Exposure to career pathways and educational opportunities in South Carolina for students.
Professional development that includes labor market information, workforce trends, and business connections for educators and school leadership.
Opportunity for business and industry partners to learn and explore their local schools, ways to get involved in experiential learning, and how they can impact classroom learning through participation to grow the talent pipeline.
Impacting communities, and potentially regions, by aligning resources to support local workforce development.
RWAs work in collaboration and in partnership to connect systems and stakeholders. The RWA role is strategic and collaborative supporting partnerships and scaling impact across multiple schools and employers. While we concentrate on developing the talent pipeline needed for the region, and for the state of South Carolina, the RWA positions are localized positions, and opportunities may look different across the state.
Do the Regional Workforce Advisors have boards?
The Regional Workforce Advisor’s geographic area of responsibility does have an advisory board that includes the following local and regional leadership:
a school district superintendent
high school principal
local workforce investment board chairperson
technical college president
four-year college or university representative
career center director or school district career and technology education coordinator
parent-teacher organization representative
business and civic leaders.
More information about the Regional Education Center Advisory Boards (RECABs) can be found here.
If I am an educator, school, or business, how can I get in contact with my RWA?
There is one Regional Workforce Advisor located in each of the 12 Local Workforce Development Areas across the state. Educators, schools, and businesses can reach out to have a conversation about opportunities for partnership and workforce solutions. Click here to connect with your local RWA.