Marion County’s Got Talent

Whether it is measured by miles or driving minutes, Marion County has an impressive labor shed reaching the northeast of South Carolina and into parts of North Carolina with a total labor population of over 353,000 within a 60 mile radius.

Marion offers and coordinates customized job training opportunities for new and existing companies through an impressive network of schools, colleges, universities and training facilities.

South Carolina's technical education system is regarded among the nation's best, which serves as a major catalyst for economic development.  South Carolina and Marion County are committed to preparing our citizens for the workforce.

Marion County has its own technical education center for high school students as well as a new workforce development center, which provides excellent opportunities to prepare for the workplace or continue further technical training at a technical college or university. Furthermore, Marion County Academy for Careers & Technology (ACT) has a relationship with Florence-Darlington Technical College, which provides excellent job training opportunities and is conveniently located to Marion County companies in addition to having a   satellite campus in nearby Mullins.  Marion County ACT is also aligned with Francis Marion University, Horry-Georgetown Technical College, Coastal Carolina University and Coker College, all within a 30-minute drive time.

Southeastern Institute of Manufacturing and Technology (SiMT), the first facility of its kind in the United States, and within 30 minutes driving time of Marion County, provides the support needed by area and future industries and to advance the region's ability to provide a highly trained workforce. Made possible by partnerships with businesses and industries, this facility features an Advanced Manufacturing Center, 3-D/Virtual Reality Center and a National Robotics Center. SiMT offers open-enrollment, on-site and customized training as well as manufacturing startup assistance and consulting services.

ReadySC, one of the oldest and most experienced workforce training programs in the United States, provides employee recruitment, assessment, training development, management and implementation services at little or no cost to qualifying corporations. 

Apprenticeship Carolina works to ensure all employers in South Carolina have access to the information and technical assistance they need to create demand-driven registered apprenticeship programs. It works by granting individuals experience through a hands-on approach.

South Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership helps manufacturers throughout the state by solving business and supply chain process problems.

SCWorks, serves individuals in Marion County through the SC Department of Employment and Workforce. They offer fully equipped Internet accessible computer labs for company-specific training, numerous assessment tools for existing employees and new hires, reimbursement for on-the-job-training, recruitment services, and employer-related seminars.

Marion County is also a Work Ready Community, which certifies workforce quality based on WorkKeys® assessments.  WorkKeys assessments measure skills critical to on-the-job success in terms of applied mathematics, locating information, and reading for information.