TransformSC, an initiative of the South Carolina Council on Competitiveness, has accepted three schools to its statewide network of innovative schools: C.A. Johnson High School (Richland One), Sevier Middle School (Greenville), and Carolina Elementary School (Darlington). “The fact that more schools and districts are joining the TransformSC network shows how leadership can transform education in […]
The Council has named Sue-Ann (“Susie”) Shannon its next president and CEO. Shannon will be joining the Council from BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, where she served as senior public policy counsel. “Susie’s background, skills and experience are a terrific match for the Council,” said Ed Sellers, chairman of the Council’s Executive Committee. “She believes in […]
Earlier this month, members of the Council’s staff had the opportunity to be on-hand as the Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner took its inaugural flight in North Charleston. The flight marked a significant milestone for South Carolina –the 787-10 is the first Boeing aircraft to be manufactured entirely at Boeing’s North Charleston facility. SC Aerospace Director Adrianne […]
South Carolina is currently experiencing a teacher shortage. But one school district thinks they’ve found a way to help get more teachers into classrooms. Greenville County Schools launched its GATE program – the Greenville Alternative Teacher Education Program – last fall. The three-year training program is designed to train people new to teaching, often those […]
Seven South Carolina cities were ranked in a recent national study of the best cities to start a business. Charleston-North Charleston ranked the highest of the seven, coming in at 82 of the 358 cities studied. Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach is listed at 144, Columbia at 154, Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin at 185, Spartanburg at 277, Sumter at […]
South Carolina’s aerospace industry cluster accounts for 17,000 private sector jobs with an average total compensation rate of $71,000 per year. Greenville Technical College offers training to provide the necessary workforce through its aircraft maintenance technology program, located at the S.C. Technology and Aviation Center (SCTAC). Students may pursue one of three certificates, an associate’s […]
Chair of the Federal Reserve board Janet Yellen stated in a speech Tuesday that American workers could benefit from more on-the-job training, noting the success Apprenticeship Carolina has had in workforce development. “The program has led to sizable job gains at a modest cost to the state,” Yellen said, according to a transcript of her […]
Greenville Technical College’s Center for Manufacturing Innovation has launched a Manufacturing Business Incubator. The first participating companies at the site are Medical Beam Laboratories and Constructis LLC. The incubator is intended to help firms make use of the nearly $7 million in advanced manufacturing equipment and hardware at the Center for Manufacturing Innovation, collaborate with […]
Cameron steps down after three years Adrianne Beasley has been tapped to replace Deborah Cameron as director of aerospace initiatives for the South Carolina Council on Competitiveness effective March 31, 2017. After three years leading the Council’s SC Aerospace initiative, Cameron is resigning the position and relocating to Colorado. Beasley most recently served as program […]
The S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce and the S.C. Department of Corrections has expanded the state’s Second Chance job training program to include the Camille Griffin Graham Correctional Institution for women. Started in November 2014 at the Manning Reentry/Work Release Center in Columbia, the program is designed to help inmates successfully transition to employment […]
Leadership Transformational leadership at the school, district, and community level is crucial to ensure that every student graduates prepared for careers, college, and citizenship. On March 13th, 450 attendees gathered in Greenville for the fourth annual TransformSC Spring Conference which focused on that leadership. Attendees included educators from over half of the state’s school districts […]
Scott’s Branch High School, a TransformSC School in Clarendon County, hosted education officials from South Carolina, North Dakota, Washington, D.C., Mississippi, and Arkansas in February. The visit was a part of the American Youth Policy Forum’s “Advancing Equity through Deeper Learning in Rural Schools” tour. Those on the tour had the opportunity to visit classrooms […]
TransformSC’s Peggy Torrey appeared in a recent episode of SC ETV’s Carolina Classrooms focusing on college and career readiness. The panel was moderated by Lemuel Watson, former dean in the College of Education at the University of South Carolina and current Executive Director at the Center of Innovation in Higher Education. Other panelists included Sheila […]
Last week, the US Department of Defense announced the creation of the Advanced Robotics Manufacturing Institute to establish the US as a leader in advanced manufacturing by increasing worker productivity, ensuring access to robotics technologies, growing crucial industries that rely on robotics technologies, and creating and sustaining American jobs. Clemson University is one of 40 […]
On March 2nd, Pamela Lackey, State President of AT&T and TransformSC Co-Chair was interviewed by Mike Switzer on South Carolina Business Review. Lackey discussed the history of TransformSC and the progress the initiative has made since it began in 2013. She stressed the importance of leadership in sustaining innovation in education. She explained that […]
Volvo wants to close the skills gap between South Carolina’s workers and the companies that want to, but can’t, hire them. The Sweden-based, Chinese-owned company is working with readySC, Trident Technical College and the South Carolina Department of Commerce to develop a curriculum outlining the training and education residents need before applying for employment with […]
South Carolina’s tourism industry grew to $20.2 billion in 2016 and generated $1.5 billion in state and local sales tax, according to S.C. Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism Director Duane Parrish. These preliminary figures were released at the S.C. Governor’s Conference on Tourism and Travel in Spartanburg. Final estimates won’t be available until 2018. […]
Furman University recently opened the Childers Project-Based Learning Classroom in Hipp Hall named after Marybeth and Alfred Childers, lifelong supporters of Furman’s Teacher Education Program. The innovative space allows Furman faculty to emulate a project-based learning classroom so that those in the class experience the learner-centered, collaborative environment in which they will eventually facilitate. The […]
The SC Department of Commerce recently released the second edition of the South Carolina Innovation Plan which includes recommendations for how the state can better support the advanced manufacturing, life sciences, and technology industries. The SC Council on Competitiveness was one of 17 organizations asked to serve on an Innovation Steering Committee that had the […]
Cherokee County School District, one of five entire TransformSC districts, is the recipient of a $300,000 gift from BMW Manufacturing Co. to fund Project Lead the Way at its four middle schools to provide science, engineering, technology and math education to students. BMW joins Boeing as a corporate partner to help fund Project Lead the […]
Burke Royster, Superintendent of TransformSC district Greenville County Schools, has been named one of Education Week’s 2017 Leaders to Learn From. Royster is recognized for his efforts to increase student engagement and graduation rates in his district. One of the signature programs in the district is OnTrack Greenville, an early-warning system that uses attendance, behavior, […]
SC Aerospace held its winter quarterly networking event at the Southeastern Institute of Manufacturing and Technology (SiMT) in Florence on Feb. 15. The event was sponsored by MTorres America which is headquartered in Bothell, WA. Vice President of Business Development Mark Cumm provided a presentation about the company’s future plans. Each SC Aerospace quarterly event includes […]
Research partnership between USC, Benedict College, The Citadel, and South Carolina State University Last month, Clemson University announced the development of the Center for Connected Multimodal Mobility. Clemson was one of 19 universities in the nation chosen by the U.S. Department of Transportation to lead a transportation center. Clemson was awarded a $1.4 million grant […]
TransformSC presented twice in January to the SC House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee on Competency-Based Education. The first was an informal meeting on Jan. 12 where TransformSC Co-Chair Mike Brenan gave an update on TransformSC’s recent growth. Brenan also emphasized TransformSC’s grassroots coalition and the approaches its schools use, like competency-based education. TransformSC Director Peggy Torrey […]
TransformSC Director Peggy Torrey participated in panel discussion and study tour hosted by the American Youth Policy Forum Feb. 2 and 3 in Charleston. Torrey spoke on the importance of collaboration between schools and businesses to address the challenges of preparing rural students for college and career success. The study tour, titled “Advancing Equity […]
Effective March 1, 2017, Ed Sellers will become interim CEO of the South Carolina Council on Competitiveness. Sellers is currently chairman of the Council’s Executive Committee and chairman of BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina. “The formation of the Council in 2004 marked the first time South Carolina’s business, government, and academic leadership came together […]
Emerald High School Principal Brad Nickles discusses what he and his team learned at TransformSC’s Project-Based Learning Institute. Emerald High School is a member of TransformSC’s statewide innovation network. At Emerald High School, we’re in year four of our project-based learning implementation without a purchased program, meaning we’re doing it with no funding. Attending TransformSC’s […]
The Charleston Regional Development Alliance and the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce have announced the launch of One Region, an initiative aimed at making the Charleston region a globally competitive location. The strategy is designed to guide the region’s economic, workforce and community development efforts over the course of five years to encourage collaboration and […]
Workforce development and external and internal promotion have been identified as two major areas where South Carolina can help advance its innovation economy in the South Carolina Innovation Plan, recently released by the South Carolina Department of Commerce. The plan concludes that aggressively marketing the state’s technological and innovation successes will help bolster South Carolina’s […]
EngenuitySC recently released its third-annual Midlands Regional Competitiveness Report, ranking the Columbia metropolitan statistical area (MSA) in relation to nine other Southeastern metropolitan regions. The report ranks MSAs in five economically competitive indicators: talent, entrepreneurial/business environment, innovation, industry clusters and livability. The Midlands Business Leadership Group has announced that it will form working groups of the […]
The Council’s Director of Logistics Initiatives Suzanne Dickerson will moderate a panel discussion titled “Fast Growing Logistics Models” at the 2017 SC Auto Summit in Greenville. Panelists include: Tim Kirschbaum, General Manager – Senator International Alfred Haas, Manager of Material Control & Supply Assurance – BMW Manufacturing David Edwards, President & CEO – GSP International […]
Deborah Cameron, the Council’s director of aerospace initiatives, was recently named to Columbia Business Monthly’s list of 50 most influential people in the Midlands. Columbia Business Monthly cites Cameron’s work within SC Aerospace as making her “an integral figure in the development of the state’s aerospace cluster.” Check out the January issue of Columbia Business Monthly for the full […]
South Carolina’s logistics industry has new ways to connect and to market itself on the global stage. SC Logistics, an industry cluster supported by the South Carolina Council on Competitiveness, has launched a new website and LinkedIn company page. “The mission of SC Logistics is to connect and grow the logistics industry in South Carolina,” […]
President & CEO Ann Marie Stieritz was recently interviewed by Midlands Anchor in reference to the announcement of a $1.7 million expansion from TCube Solutions in Columbia. The Midlands’ Insurance Technology cluster (iTs|SC) is an industry cluster supported by the Council, and Stieritz points to the TCube as an example of robust industry cluster activity leading to […]
On Thursday, December 8th, President & CEO Ann Marie Stieritz presented on South Carolina’s Long-Term Economic Competitiveness at the USC Darla Moore School of Business Economic Outlook Conference. Ann Marie discussed South Carolina’s economic development successes and how that success can be leveraged for the creation of broad-based prosperity in South Carolina. The event’s keynote […]
Notable Midlands activist and philanthropist Judy Davis passed away on Thursday, Nov. 24, 2016, following an extended illness. Davis joined the South Carolina Council on Competitiveness’ Executive Committee in September and was voted Education and Workforce Task Force co-chair. “Judy was a mentor, confidante, and role model to many of us in the Midlands and […]
Council President and CEO Ann Marie Stieritz participated in a community convening on Nov. 9, 2016, at “The Future of Learning: Preparing Students with 21st Century Skills,” hosted by Alaska: Education Matters, Inc., in Anchorage. Stieritz participated in two panel discussions and was available for attendees throughout the day. Other panelists included Dr. Deena Paramo, superintendent […]
Registration is now open for the 2017 TransformSC Spring Conference, where we will convene educators, business leaders and policymakers to inspire school, district and community leaders to #ThinkForward through transformational leadership. The conference is expected to draw more than 500 attendees including educators, business leaders and representatives from higher education institutions and non-profits, as well […]
Press release from SCMEP: Greenville, S.C. – November 14th, 2016– The South Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership (SCMEP) is proud to welcome two new members to their Board of Directors. The SCMEP Board of Directors is a fiduciary council that meets quarterly to guide and direct the implementations of SCMEP’s Mission—Helping South Carolina Companies Grow. The […]
As our network of innovative schools has grown, we’ve come to realize that there isn’t always a plethora of resources out there to guide educators along their transformative journey. In this month’s blog, Craig Baker, principal of Swansea High School, talks about how TransformSC’s transformative leaders network came to be and how it helps TransformSC […]
Suzanne Dickerson, the Council’s director of logistics industry initiatives, presented at the South Carolina Automotive Council’s Supply Chain Visibility meeting on Nov. 10, 2016, at Trident Technical College in North Charleston. Dickerson spoke about South Carolina’s logistics industry’s impact on economic growth, the importance of investing in infrastructure and transportation, and the opportunities and challenges […]
SC Biz Magazine featured the Council’s research on the aerospace industry cluster in the Fall issue, highlighting the initiative’s recently released research on the cluster’s development, involvement in July’s Farnborough Air Show and a letter from the editor, Licia Jackson, discussing the importance of aerospace to the state.
This month’s Columbia Business Monthly featured a story on SC’s logistics industry and how the Council is working map the industry through its SC Logistics initiative. Click the photo to read the article.
Steve Prout of Solar Atmospheres, Todd Sharpley of GKN, and Paul V. Kumler of KTM Solutions have joined the Advisory Board for SC Aerospace. The Board is comprised of industry leaders representing aerospace-related firms of all sizes from across South Carolina. “I welcome my fellow business leaders from across the state to become an active […]
TransformSC hosted its first annual Bus Tour on Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2016. Business leaders, community leaders and policymakers traveled to four schools in the Midlands region to see the difference that innovative education models are making in classrooms. Attendees were able to tour individual classrooms and speak with teachers and administrators about their journey to […]
TransformSC has accepted five schools and two districts to its statewide network of innovative schools. The new TransformSC schools are located across the state: Monarch Elementary School (Greenville) Swansea High School Freshman Academy (Swansea), Bates Middle School (Sumter), Hartsville High School (Hartsville) and R.B. Stall High School (Charleston). Lexington County School District 4 in the […]
The South Carolina Council on Competitiveness has received a federal grant to develop the state’s logistics industry cluster. The $175,000 investment from the United States Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration will partially fund the Council’s initiative to strengthen and develop the state’s logistics industry. The initiative is also funded by the South Carolina Department […]
As a new TransformSC school, Darlington High School is excited about the partnerships and opportunities available by being a part of the TransformSC network. Our team attended last week’s Blended Learning Institute in Columbia and had the opportunity to work with and learn from national experts and local educators who have been using blended learning […]
TransformSC is offering South Carolina educators the opportunity to participate in hands-on workshops led by national experts through its series of institutes. In its second year, this event series focuses on TransformSC’s four innovative practices: blended learning, project-based learning, continuous assessment and competency-based progression. TransformSC hosted its first 2016-2017 institute focused on blended learning at […]
It seems like just yesterday that we wrapped up the third annual SC Aerospace Conference & Expo, but we’re already hard at work on planning next year’s conference. So how exactly does South Carolina’s Aerospace Conference & Expo come together? The event is unique in that it brings together a collaboration of different organizations for […]
