ALLENDALE – Darla Moore, founder and chair of the Palmetto Institute, was the keynote speaker at SouthernCarolina Alliance’s decade anniversary celebration on May 22 at the University of South Carolina-Salkehatchie campus in Allendale.

Danny Black, president of SouthernCarolina Alliance, said the purpose of the event was to commemorate a decade of evolving partnership in the counties of Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell and Hampton.

“We were fortunate to have this innovative leader from South Carolina, who has been recognized nationally for her accomplishments in business, joining us for our celebration,” he said of Moore.

A resident of Lake City and New York City, Moore “has played a leadership role in public discourse on the issues of our changing economy, including the issues of alternative fuels, agribusiness and workforce development,” Black said.

Moore founded the Palmetto Institute in 2002 as a nonprofit think tank aimed at bolstering per capita income in South Carolina.

“Mrs. Moore is engaged in the future of South Carolina’s economy, and she understands the issues of rural economic development as well our desire to lead in the cutting-edge technologies of alternative fuels, from bio-diesel to nuclear,” SouthernCarolina Alliance Chairperson Kay H. Still said.

Black took the audience on a 10-year verbal journey through the history of the alliance.

“While we have lost some jobs, this alliance has helped to create over 1,200 jobs. When we began 10 years ago, we had no idea what the future would hold for us,” Black said. “Thanks to the SCA business partners, the agency continues to develop into a top industry recruiting organization.”

Moore said SCA has the right idea by incorporating regionalism into recruiting.

“I have adopted the motto of a friend of mine: ‘When you really need a helping hand, look at the end of your arm.’ We have to develop a competitive advantage, and we have to develop it using our own assets,” she noted.

Moore stressed that no matter how hard small communities work and how much money they pour into their communities for development, “you cannot do it alone. Working together will pay substantial dividends in the future.”

She also announced that because of SCA’s initiative, the Palmetto Institute has chosen Bamberg, Barnwell and Hampton counties to participate in a pilot program designed to assist with regional planning.

“SouthernCarolina Alliance is on the right track. I am impressed with the efforts of this region, and we want to help you map out statistical research and planning.

Sharing ways to increase economic recruiting power, Moore told the alliance that a strong economic foundation with a strong workforce is imperative. “You must offer a skilled workforce. Future prosperity will depend on the strength and quality of that workforce,” she said.

Moore said individuals like Anne Rice of USC-Salkehatchie’s Leadership Center work tirelessly to inspire and improve the workforce quality of their communities and regions.

“But it is a difficult task, especially in rural areas. We saw serious issues involving lack of adequate transportation, a mismatch of job-seekers to immediate vacancies in critical occupations like healthcare and poor collaboration among economic development, education and workforce groups,” Moore said.

“And, unfortunately, we also found areas with adequate funding and the qualified people to train but no job opportunities,” she said.ˇ “These were just a sampling of the issues raised by our interviews. But, the one consistent concern by everyone we interviewed was the lack of vision, coordination and guidance by the state.”

Moore said as a result of that research, three key recommendations have been made:

Creation of a single entity, made up of both private and public groups but led by business, to coordinate and oversee workforce activities at the state level.

Implementation of a statewide career readiness certificate, using WorkKeys, to provide a lifeline to students who may not follow a traditional education path. WorkKey’s testing and job profiling offers an opportunity to connect employers with job-seekers or with those employees who wish to upgrade their work skills and, in turn, increase their wages.

Establishment of an Internet-based employment marketplace to connect job-seekers and employers and to educate them as to potential economic development opportunities.

“I cannot emphasize strongly enough the importance of these efforts to increase the quality of our workforce, but it also requires us to work harder in the educational attainment of our children.

“Notice I said ‘us’ and not just the educational institutions,” Moore said. “When our kids do not graduate from high school or complete their studies at our technical education colleges and four-year institutions of higher learning, we all must take responsibility for finding ways to help them to improve their graduation rates rather than just blaming it on the school systems and walking away.”

Acknowledging that South Carolina will never be the textile industry that it once was, Moore said rural areas will have to embrace and support existing industry.

“Just because they are economic engines today does not mean they will be economic engines tomorrow,” she said.

Moore suggested that the following questions are answered during economic development planning:

How can the region help its economic engines maintain a competitive advantage?

Are there suppliers that need to be recruited?

Are there courses that need to be added to the TEC programs to ensure a more skilled workforce?

What can the alliance do to help the economic engines continue to be more innovative and productive and to add value to products and services?

“Don’t guess;talk to those in charge of these economic engines to make sure you understand their needs and they understand your needs,” Moore said.

T&D Correspondent Lisa B. Stokes can be reached by e-mail at lisastokes@bellsouth.net or by phone at 803-245-5648. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

You must be logged in to comment.