The Workforce Champion Award was first recognized in 2023 by Governor Henry McMaster, in partnership with the Department of Employment and Workforce (SC DEW), to acknowledge employers who demonstrated extraordinary effort, innovation, and commitment to connecting students and educators to career awareness, exposure, and experiential learning opportunities. As a well-earned recognition awarded in September during Workforce Development Month, this award serves as inspiration for other employers to customize programs to impact and uplift the future workforce.
In prior years, the Workforce Champion Award was nominated by the Regional Workforce Advisors (RWAs), who work hand in hand with businesses across the state. This year, we welcome all businesses in South Carolina to nominate themselves and spotlight their unique initiatives to connect with young people and amplify the workforce through collaboration with the Regional Workforce Advisor (RWA)!
Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) - 2026 Workforce Champion Award
Michelin - 2025 Workforce Champion Award
BMW - 2024 Workforce Champion Award
Michelin - 2025 Workforce Champion Award Video Coming Soon!
2025 Workforce Champion Award Nominees
AnMed | HTC | Honda |
Sanders Brothers
| Thompson Construction Group | York County Natural Gas Authority |
Greenville Drive | Abbeville Area Medical Center |
Previous Workforce Champion Awardees
- 2026 Workforce Champion Award - Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS)
Savannah River Nuclear Solutions in Aiken was specifically recognized for their student outreach, internship programs, and Apprenticeship School, which introduce youth to high-demand fields while highlighting the purpose-driven missions that protect the nation and advance global security. SRNS’s Apprenticeship School in particular offers a no-cost, 24-month opportunity for high school juniors and seniors in Aiken, Allendale, and Barnwell counties to receive a U.S. Department of Labor credential while earning their high school diploma. Its Key Skilled Technician apprenticeships, offered through partnering technical colleges, help SRNS train and hire the next generation of Nuclear Operators, Radiation Protection Technicians, Maintenance Mechanics, and Electrical Technicians. "SRNS does an exemplary job of meeting the objectives of the Coordinating Council for Workforce Development’s Unified State Plan in spreading awareness of in-demand occupations in nuclear defense and protection, directly working with students as early as elementary school, and creating programs for teenagers, including those in our state’s rural areas, allowing them to earn a wage while progressing towards long-term careers at SRNS.”
Read more about their recognition here!
- 2025 Workforce Champion Award - Michelin
Michelin’s facilities in Lexington were specifically recognized because of their commitment to providing hands-on workforce development experiences to high schoolers with their school tours and presentations, the Michelin Scholars Program with Midlands Technical College, internships, early education engagement by sponsoring elementary schools like Red Bank and Saxe Gotha, and other invaluable efforts to support our state’s workforce.“Along with Governor McMaster, it is my privilege as the Executive Director of the Department of Employment and Workforce to present the Workforce Champion Award to Michelin North America, Inc.,” said DEW Executive Director William Floyd. “Michelin is shaping the future of our workforce by directly working with young people as early as elementary school, providing tutors and educational resources at no cost, and creating programs for teenagers to study and work simultaneously with the company. Their partnership with Midlands Technical College is a shining example of why collaboration matters, as public-private partnerships like theirs create remarkable opportunities for teenagers to learn about a manufacturing job while actively doing it.”
Read more about their recognition here!
- 2024 Workforce Champion Award - BMW
BMW was selected as the honoree because of its commitment to providing hands-on experiences to middle and high schoolers in its state-of-the-art facility and its exceptional apprenticeship programs, which are the first of their kind in the state."BMW is the ideal recipient for our agency’s second-ever Workforce Champion Award because they are an employer deeply invested in our students,” concludes Floyd. “We encourage all employers in South Carolina, regardless of size or industry, to follow their lead and help build relationships with students in their local areas. Whether it be a business adopting a local school, offering internships or apprenticeships, or simply participating in job fairs and career days at schools – young people are the future of our workforce and the best, long-term investment an employer can make.”
Read more about their recognition here!
- 2023 Workforce Champion Award - Boeing
Boeing was selected as the honoree because of their exceptional outreach efforts in the state, including their DreamLearners program, which has reached more than 1.2 million educators, students, and community members since 2012. As part of this program, Boeing has hosted hundreds of field trips and student visits to its North Charleston factory, as well as virtual events, with the goal of inspiring young people to develop skills in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).“It is my privilege, as the Executive Director of DEW, to present the inaugural Workforce Champion Award to The Boeing Company,” said Floyd. “It was Boeing’s long-standing commitment, innovation, and investment in the school-to-work pipeline that made them this year’s winner. Boeing is actively involved in educating our young people about the importance of the aerospace industry and careers in STEM in a way that makes it easily understood and achievable.”
Read more about their recognition here!