By DORCHESTER COUNTY, SC (WCSC) – Too many jobs, not enough people to fill them.
That’s the situation economic development leaders in Dorchester County are dealing with. So to find a solution, the county is hosting a training program to teach people the skills they need to get a foot in the door to a better opportunity.
“Most of our employers are not looking for unskilled workers, they’re looking for folks with experience. With the job market being as tight as it is, there’s not a lot of folks with experience that’s looking for work,” said John Truluck, the director of Economic Development for Dorchester County.
He says the county is spreading the word about a training program that will give people the helping hand they need to a better job.
“So this course was developed to bridge that gap. To help folks with no experience get some equivalent training to experience, so that they can get a foot in the door with these companies,” Truluck said.
He says companies throughout the county love the idea.
“Quite frankly when we started, we had hoped to get three or four companies signed on, and the response from our existing industry was almost overwhelming. We tried to get three or four, and we ended up with 75,” Truluck said.
Dorchester County is hosting three information sessions to let people know about the February ManuFirstSC training program. The course will give them the equivalent of two years manufacturing experience.
Upper Dorchester County has higher unemployment rates and fewer job opportunities, so all of these classes are being held in towns like Ridgeville, Harleyville and Dorchester by design, taking the information directly to the people who need it most.
At those information sessions, people will get to talk with company officials about the type of products they make and the kinds of jobs that are available.
“Kion is one of our larger employers here in Summerville. They’re a German company that makes forklifts. They are an assembly line where they make a lot of forklifts and product moving equipment,” Truluck said.
Those sessions also offer information about GED classes, transportation, and getting a job if you have a criminal record.
The course and information sessions are only for Dorchester County residents. Each information session will last about two hours, and you do not need to pre-register.
All of the information sessions begin at 5:30 p.m. and goes to 7:30 p.m. The first one is Thursday at Woodland High School in the town of Dorchester.
The second meeting is Tuesday, Jan., 15, at the Harleyville Community Center.
And the third and final meeting is Thursday, Jan., 17, at the Ridgeville Community Center.
