South Carolina is in a moment of opportunity. Employers are eager to build reliable pipelines of skilled workers. Lawmakers want every dollar to deliver long-term economic impact. And communities want more students and workers connected to rewarding careers.

Apprenticeship Carolina™ sits at the intersection of these priorities, designing apprenticeship models that meet employer needs and ensuring public investment delivers lasting results.

Just like Mastercard once put a price tag on everything but the most important things, Apprenticeship Carolina delivers what South Carolina needs most – at no cost to employers.

Talent Pipeline – $0

With emerging technologies, rapid industry shifts, and retiring talent, South Carolina employers are navigating workforce pressures in real time – and investing in someone with little to no experience can feel risky. But having a full-service consulting partner like Apprenticeship Carolina makes apprenticeship a practical solution.

Every partnership begins with a conversation grounded in honesty, transparency, and a shared commitment to solving a company’s unique workforce challenges. From there, Apprenticeship Carolina helps businesses customize registered apprenticeship programs that attract new talent and upskill current employees. It also guides employers through the compliance process so that they spend less time battling red tape and more time building talent.

Apprenticeship Carolina works with employers of every size. Yes, the state’s hospital systems and government agencies are major apprenticeship sponsors. But so are family-owned blacksmithing shops, mid-sized construction companies, and growing textile manufacturers. For all of them, Apprenticeship Carolina makes apprenticeships feel within reach – and delivers support that goes far beyond the basics.

It’s not one-time setup; it’s ongoing support.

It’s not program administration; it’s employer empowerment.

It’s not figuring things out in isolation; it’s discovery, collaboration, and networking.

This kind of sustained support helps employers build a culture of quality, mentorship, and continuous learning. Mentorship is often the gamechanger – strengthening teams, fostering company loyalty, developing mentors as leaders, and helping apprentices grow into valued contributors.

That same culture of learning extends beyond individual companies. Through peer-to-peer exchanges and shared best practices, employers learn from one another – one of the most valuable, yet often underappreciated, benefits of apprenticeship participation.

“By learning what other companies are doing, we can make our company better.”
— Ashley Haneline, HR Specialist at Embroidery Solutions, on Apprenticeship Carolina’s peer-to-peer learning events

Ashley Haneline, HR Specialist at Embroidery Solutions in Kingstree, SC, has experienced this firsthand: "Apprenticeship Carolina hosts Lunch and Learns that connect us with our college contacts, keep us current on tax updates, and encourage us to network with other companies. We even borrowed two of our apprenticeship models from companies we met through these events. By learning what other companies are doing, we can make our company better.”

 

For South Carolina businesses, having a partner who can turn workforce pressure into workforce potential – at no cost – is priceless.

Workforce Infrastructure – $0

Lawmakers, meanwhile, view apprenticeships as more than a workforce program – they are a strategic investment in the state’s economic competitiveness.

Since 2007, Apprenticeship Carolina has helped more than 1,600 companies develop, register, and implement their apprenticeship programs, which have served more than 55,000 apprentices across the state.

As both program designer and funding navigator, Apprenticeship Carolina delivers employer relief and expands access for workers statewide. It also connects employers with the right workforce and education partners to maximize impact. This reach extends far beyond introductions; it serves as essential workforce infrastructure that protects and amplifies the state’s investment.

“Since 2015, we’ve successfully managed more than $32 million in federal grants from the US Department of Labor,” says Amanda Richardson, Vice President of Apprenticeship Carolina. “With every new registered apprenticeship, those public dollars ripple outward – multiplying benefits for businesses, educators, and workers statewide.”

While federal grants expand access through scholarships and training reimbursements, state funding sustains the system, keeping apprenticeships aligned with South Carolina’s long-term economic priorities. This strategy ensures every workforce dollar fuels lasting growth, not short-term fixes – and that’s what smart policy looks like.

For lawmakers, that kind of return on investment is priceless.

“With every new registered apprenticeship, public dollars ripple outward – multiplying benefits for businesses, educators, and workers statewide.”
— Amanda Richardson, Vice President of Apprenticeship Carolina

Transformed Lives – $0

Behind every apprentice who earns a certificate, secures a promotion, or transitions successfully into a new career is an ecosystem of support – with Apprenticeship Carolina at its center. By helping employers design strong, sustainable apprenticeships, Apprenticeship Carolina gives apprentices access to structured on-the-job training, job-related education, and a clear path of wage progression.

For many, apprenticeship is a first job. But it’s also much more than that.

It may be a gateway to a family-sustaining wage.

Or the first step toward a supervisory or leadership role.

Sometimes it’s the launchpad that helps a career-changer enter a new industry.

“Behind every apprentice who earns a certificate, secures a promotion, or transitions successfully into a new career is an ecosystem of support – with Apprenticeship Carolina at its center.”

Other times, it’s the support that keeps someone in the workforce when barriers might have pushed them out.

For some, like Air Force veteran Austin McMahan, it becomes the pathway to civilian life.

“Coming fresh from the military, there were some skills and experiences that didn’t necessarily translate over, so I needed a bridge between what I had and where I needed to be,” he explains. “The apprenticeship program at BASF offered me that bridge.”

Austin’s story illustrates what thousands of South Carolinians already know: when futures are transformed through apprenticeship, the impact is priceless.

South Carolina’s Future – Priceless

Because of the coordinated work of Apprenticeship Carolina, apprenticeships move from possible in theory to doable in practice – offering proof of concept. And through its expertise, Apprenticeship Carolina turns workforce need into workforce success – offering proof of impact. Together, that makes its value to South Carolina, well, priceless.

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