Job Shortages
The tables below show the top three occupations that are projected from 2018-2028 of South Carolina employers based on the level of education they require. There is no state minimum wage in South Carolina. The one highlighted occupation under each of the three education levels has been selected to expand on in terms of potential career advancement.
Potential Career Advancement
1) Retail Salesperson to Supervisor of Retail Sales Workers
Retail Salesperson Job Description:
- Sell merchandise, such as furniture, motor vehicles, appliances, or apparel to consumers
Entry Level Requirements:
- Short-term on-the-job training
- English language proficiency
Supervisor of Retail Sales Workers Job Description:
- Supervise and coordinate activities of retail sales workers in a department
Career Advancement Requirements:
- High School diploma or GED typically required
2) Nursing Assistant to Licensed Practical Nurse
Nursing Assistant Job Description:
- Provide or assist with basic care or support under the direction of onsite licensed nursing staff
Entry Level Requirements:
- Complete a state-approved nursing training program, free training classes found here
- Pass the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program (NNAAP) exam ($98)
- Apply for certification in South Carolina, renewal every 2 years
Licensed Practical Nurse Job Description:
- Provide more extensive patient care with fewer administrative tasks relative to medical assistant
Career Advancement Requirements:
- Complete a state-approved Practical Nursing program
- Pass the National Council Licensure Exam-Practical Nurse (NCLEX-PN) exam ($200)
- Apply for license in South Carolina ($80, 2 year renewal)
3) Accountant & Auditor to Financial Manager
Accountant & Auditor Job Description:
- Analyze financial information and prepare financial reports on activities in an organization
Entry Level Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree with Accounting concentration
- At least 1 year work experience in accounting
- Pass the CPA exam (Approx. $900 with $135 application fee)
- Pass the AICPA Ethics exam with minimum score of 90
- State residency and citizenship not required, but social security is required
Financial Manager Job Description:
- Plan, direct, or coordinate accounting, investing, banking, insurance, securities, and other financial activities of a branch, office, or department of an establishment
Career Advancement Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree in finance related field required, Master’s degree encouraged
- 5+ years of experience in business or financial occupation, more information found here
Immigration in South Carolina
The following are facts about the immigrant community in South Carolina:
- Immigrants comprise 5% of the state population and 6% of the South Carolina labor force
- Top industries of immigrant employment:
- Construction, 27,696 workers
- Manufacturing, 27,605 workers
- Accommodation and Food Services, 22,392 workers
- Health Care and Social Assistance, 15,517 workers
- Retail Trade, 14,748 workers
- 23,670 immigrant business owners account for 10% of all self-employed South Carolina residents
- 43% of immigrants in South Carolina are naturalized and another 35% are undocumented
- Top foreign-born countries of origin:
- Mexico, 24%
- India, 7%
- Germany, 5%
- Honduras, 5%
- The Philippines, 5%
- 4% of native-born South Carolinans are children of an immigrant
- Educational attainment of foreign born adults in South Carolina:
- High School diploma or less – 49%
- More than HS diploma, less than Bachelor’s degree – 19%
- Bachelor’s degree or higher – 33%
- Share of Brain Waste* – 24%
* Share of immigrant professionals, who are unemployed, employed at poverty-level wages in High School diploma or less jobs, or significantly underemployed in more than HS diploma, less than Bachelor’s degree jobs
Sources
Jobs
Projections Managing Partnership (PMP), Projections Central – State Occupational Projections, “Long Term Occupational Projection (2018-2028)”; http://www.projectionscentral.com/Projections/LongTerm
Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2019 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates; https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oessrcst.htm
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, “Education and training assignments by detailed occupation,” 2019; https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/education-and-training-by-occupation.htm
National Council of State Legislatures, “State Minimum Wages”, December 2020; http://www.ncsl.org/research/labor-and-employment/state-minimum-wage-chart.aspx#Table
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Economic News Release, “Employees on Nonfarm Payrolls by State, Seasonally adjusted”, November 2020; https://www.bls.gov/news.release/laus.t03.htm
Potential Career Advancement
National Conference of State Legislatures, “The National Occupational Licensing Database”, March 2020: https://www.ncsl.org/research/labor-and-employment/occupational-licensing-statute-database.aspx
Immigration
American Immigration Council, State by State Fact Sheet, August 2020; https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/topics/state-by-state