By Betsy Finklea
The Dillon District Four School Board passed a resolution at their January meeting “to endorse a program to establish a workforce training center for the citizens of Dillon County.”
This was passed on a motion by Trustee Burt Rogers. The resolution was signed by Chairman Fitzgerald Lytch.
The purpose of the workforce center is to provide “skilled workers to the potential and existing industries of Dillon County.”
The Dillon County Public-Private Partnership passed a resolution in November establishing the development of a workforce center.
At the school board’s meeting, Dillon County Public-Private Partnership Chairman Haywood Proctor gave some history about how the idea came about to establish a workforce training center.
Proctor said the idea is to move the ATEC center to the NETC campus, bring all the school systems together and call it a workforce development center. He said a student could potentially graduate high school with a high school diploma and a two-year associate’s degree. He said the student could walk out of the building with a diploma and a job.
Proctor said industry is excited about this. Proctor said at an industry meeting that was held those in attendance said they needed about 160 workers a year. They need trained and skilled workers who are motivated and who also possess soft skills. Proctor said he knows it is a long road, but he thinks it will be a good thing for Dillon County.
Proctor said he had never seen people agree on a program like they had on this one.
Dillon County Board of Education Chairman Richard Schafer talked about the millions involved with the new spec building. He said due to the lack of a skilled, trainable workforce whatever industry locates here will have to go to other counties to recruit employees. He said when these workers get paid they will be taking their checks home somewhere else. “So what did we accomplish?,” asked Schafer.
Schafer said there has not been one naysayer about the project.
Schafer said this was a problem they had struggled with for years.
Schafer said they have to provide a workforce that is trained or trainable or all they have is a building.
Schafer said this project is going to take a lot of work and commitment, but in the end it will be something of which they can be proud.
A presentation was made to the Dillon County Council and industry at two meetings near the end of last year and was favorably received.
