Employment

South Carolina's mild climate, geographic beauty, cultural opportunities and pro-business climate attract employers and employees to the state. It boasts rich landscapes that include the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Atlantic Ocean. There are more than 200 miles of coastline, hundreds of golf courses, leading resorts, 45 state parks and fast-growing urban areas.

Jobs are found in industries such as manufacturing (apparel, chemicals, food, electronics, metals, paper, plastics, furniture, textiles and wood products), natural resources and mining, construction, trade, transportation, utilities, financial services, educational services, health care and more. The travel, tourism and the film industry are major industries here also. The South Carolina workforce is known for their innovation and productivity, ranking eighth in the nation.

Employment Readiness Program:

The Employment Readiness Program offers resources to help with your career plan and job search. Whether you’re a military spouse or family member who just moved to our installation, a retiree or Department of Defense civilian looking for new opportunities, we’re here to help.

Our services include:

• Up-to-date information on local, national and international employment opportunities; job market trends and education; and volunteer resources

Referrals to community agencies such as SCWorks and Military OneSource

• Weekly listing of job opportunities from potential employers
• International transcript translations referrals

Visit the Fort Jackson Army Community Service website for more information.

For job hunting purposes, be sure to hand carry all employment records, documents, resumes, transcripts, certificates, licenses and personnel actions. 

MILITARY SPOUSE PREFERENCE

The Military Spouse Preference Priority Placement Program (MSP) is a Department of Defense (DOD) program that provides employment preference to spouses of active duty military members of the United States (U.S.) Armed Forces (including the Coast Guard), who relocate to accompany their sponsor on a permanent change of station (PCS) move.

Recently, changes were made to the program on how MSP's preference will be given.  In order for MSP's to receive preference for employment opportunities, they must now apply online to vacancies and include their sponsor's PCS orders indicating dependence authorized, Marriage Certificate, resume, and the Military Spouse PPP Self-Certification Checklist with each application.

MSP and priority status for permanent positions may be used only once for each PCS move and it only applies to positions in the commuting area of your sponsor's PDS.  For more information, please click on the link below or contact the Civilian Personnel Advisory Center (CPAC) at 803-751-3219 or call your local ACS 803-751-5256 Option 3

South Carolina Job Outlook

The SC Job Outlook brochure, which can be found online and click on Job Outlook PDF, provides an overview of some of the most promising jobs in South Carolina. General education requirements and wages are given for each job title listed. These jobs were selected based on the employment outlooks over a ten-year period (2006-2016). Only jobs with a significant level of projected annual openings were included in the lists.

The following companies are the top 10 employers in the greater Columbia area:

• State of South Carolina
• Prisma Health
• BlueCross BlueShield of SC
• University of South Carolina
• United States Department of the Army
• Richland School District 1
• Richland School District 2
• Richland County
• City of Columbia
• Lexington Medical Center

Employment Services

Columbia offers many employment services for people relocating to the area or seeking a new position. Regional publications, television stations and local placement agencies will help assist in your job search. Government agencies and local chambers also offer employment programs and services for individuals in the area.

Business & Job Links

Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce Major Employers Directory -- The Major Employers Directory is a listing of major employers in five counties that comprise the Midlands of South Carolina - Calhoun, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lexington, Newberry, and Richland. Major employers are defined as those who have more than 50 employees. The Major Employers Directory also includes government and higher education institutions that qualify, in several different formats. Also, there is an alphabetical listing and a directory subdivided by county of operation. Informative articles about the business climate in the Midlands round out the Directory.

The Transition Assistance Program (TAP) provides transistion assistance to miltitary personnel exiting the service. TAP is located at the Fort Jackson Continuing Education Center, Bldg.4600, Room A201. 

Call Army Community Service at 803-751-5256, option #3, for information about military spouse and dependent-children scholarships.

The South Carolina Employment Security Commission pays "Job Insurance" benefits to insured workers who are unemployed and meet all eligibility requirements. This system of insurance was established to tide workers over between jobs, to maintain purchasing power, and to limit the serious effects of unemployment on the community and state. Unemployment insurance is not a form of relief. Benefit payments are not based on need; they are based on wages earned in employment covered by the state Employment Security Law.

To get answers to any questions concerning unemployment insurance, contact the SC Employment Commission Office at 866-831-1724. You can also go on-line and apply for unemployment compensation. The South Carolina Security Commission Office is located on 700 Taylor Street.

The SC Job Outlook brochure, which can be found online, provides an overview of some of the most promising jobs in South Carolina. Unemployment Rate 8%. Median Household Income $42,367.

MILITARY SPOUSE PREFERENCE

What are the Eligibility Requirements for Military Spouses?

You’re eligible if you are:

A spouse of an active duty member of the armed forces.

The spouse must have been married to the sponsor on or prior to the date of the service member’s orders authorizing PCS.

The spouse must have relocated to the new duty station specified in the PCS orders (Ex: Fort Hood, Texas).

This appointment authority may be used for the duration of the PCS move to the current commuting area. Once placed in a permanent position eligibility will expire.

The position must be in the local commuting area of the sponsor’s new duty station, with the exception of remote positions.

How Do I Exercise MSP and Priority Status As A Military Spouse?

If you are interested in federal employment, start your search with USAJOBS.

To receive MSP and exercise priority status through the application process, you must:

Create a login.gov account to sign in to USAJOBS (first time users). Login.gov is a service that offers s3ecure and private online access to government programs, such as Federal benefits, services, and applications.

Use the same email address for login.gov and USAJOBS.

Create a new password.

Have a working phone number (mobile or landline); login.gov will send a unique security code each time you sign into your account.

Create USAJOBS profile using the same email address for login.gov.

Create a new password for UASJOBS (first time users).

Build or post a resume to the USAJOBS profile.

Apply to the Job Opportunity Announcement (JOA) for which interested and available.

You must meet all pre-employment criteria and be eligible for immediate noncompetitive appointment to position in the competitive service.

Upload essential documents, including:

Copy of your sponsor’s PCS orders.

Military Spouse Priority Place Program (PPP) Self-Certification Checklist (which must be included with each job application).

Marriage Certification/License.

Any other documents required by the JOA.

 What Types of Positions Can I Apply For?

You Must meet all established Federal and Department of Defense (DoD) qualifications requirements.

You may include any or all DoD installations/organization within the commuting area of your sponsor’s new Permanent Duty Station (PDS).

You may apply for permanent as well as temporary/term positions (i.e. intermittent, seasonal or Non-Appropriated Funded (NAF) “flexible” schedules). There is no limit to the number of times you can exercise your MSP and priority placement for temporary and term positions.

In all cases when you apply for DoD positions as an MSP eligible, you must follow all instructions as required by the JOA. This process is necessary in order for the Civilian Personnel Advisory Center (CPAC) to determine if you rank among the best-qualified candidates for the position. The evaluation factors used to rank you are the same factors that apply to all of the competitive candidates. If you do not submit an application, you will not be considered for the position.

MSP eligibility does not entitle you to a job within the Federal Government. You must still apply and meet qualification standards and additional requirements, such as a background investigation. MSP must be considered among the best qualified in order to be referred.

Applications should choose carefully when applying for and accepting employment using military spouse preference because you can only use that preference once per duty station.

MSP and priority status for permanent positions may be used only once for each PCS move and it only applies to positions in the commuting area of your sponsor’s PDS. MSP and priority placement eligibility terminates if you:

Accept or decline permanent Federal employment in the commuting area of your sponsor’s PDS;

Decline a job interview;

Lose your spousal status due to divorce, death of your sponsor, or you sponsor’s retirement or separation from active duty; or

No longer meet the requirement for noncompetitive appointment eligibility.