The MBREDC acts as a workforce development agency in Myrtle Beach and Horry County. We help train workers in the region and assist companies in hiring and retaining qualified talent. Our region, like much of South Carolina, is lucky to have highly-skilled and reliable workers, as well as access to a steady stream of college and university graduates.

With that said, there is still workforce development to be done in Horry County. In 2016, the number of individuals within the workforce in the county was estimated to be 145,503. This means that 59% of people who are of working age are active in the workforce in Horry County, compared to 60% for South Carolina and 63.1% in the United States.

This lower population of working individuals is likely the result of a number of factors, such as unemployment, disability and health concerns, families with stay-at-home parents, and residents who retired early. It may also be an indicator that people are traveling out of the county for work and contributing to another community’s workforce.

Still, there are some positive indicators about the direction of our region’s workforce participation. When compared to South Carolina and the United States, Horry County has a greater percentage of participation from individuals who fall within the workforce age range of 16 to 24 (13.1%, 13.1%, and 14.85% respectively). Likewise, over the past 10 years, enrollment at Coastal Carolina University has grown 33%. Both of these stats show great promise for the future of our community’s workforce development initiatives.

To continue to spur economic growth, physical health, and educational opportunity, the MBREDC offers, partners with, and supports a number of workforce development programs. These resources help companies keep their employees trained in the most advanced industry technology and produce competent, skilled workers who are ready to enter the workforce.

These programs include partnerships with several technical colleges and institutes that prepare workers for Horry County’s key industries, such as aerospace and manufacturing, as well as several key skills that transition across industries including engineering, welding, and machine operations. Another workforce development program is ReadySC, which works with the regional technical college system to help recruit and screen candidates and supports the schools in maintaining a curriculum that fits local industry needs.