Business and industry leaders help shape workforce pipeline at SCC advisory council meeting
More than 140 educators, employers and community leaders gathered at Southeastern Community College on Sept. 24 for the Fall Business & Industry Advisory Council Meeting, a collaborative effort between SCC, Columbus County Schools and Whiteville City Schools focused on strengthening the workforce pipeline across Columbus County.
The event brought together 65 industry partners and a total of 145 attendees, providing an opportunity for business leaders to share workforce needs, identify emerging trends and discuss how local educational institutions can better prepare students for careers in high-demand fields.
According to SCC Apprenticeship Specialist Chalisse Neely, the advisory council serves as an important connection point between educators and employers.
“Hosting this event twice per year is important because it gives us regular opportunities to connect with our industry partners, hear their feedback and better understand their needs and priorities,” Neely said. “It also allows us to keep the conversation going and make adjustments based on their input.”
Neely, who, along with her planning committee, coordinated much of the event’s details and logistics. She said the semiannual meetings help ensure a wide range of business voices are represented.
“This event gives partners who may have missed the spring meeting an opportunity to attend the fall one, ensuring that more of our industry partners have a chance to participate, share their perspectives and stay engaged,” she said.
The gathering focused on strengthening partnerships between education and industry while addressing workforce challenges facing employers throughout the region.
“This meeting really frames everything that we do from curriculum development to the selection of our equipment and the folks we hire to fill the instructor positions in our classrooms,” said Angie Ransom, SCC associate vice president. “Our work, especially in our associate of applied science degrees, starts with our industry partners and the feedback we receive.”
Ransom said the advisory council meetings are held twice a year to check in with industry partners to make sure SCC, WCS and CCS are preparing students with the skills employers need. Ransom was impressed with the energy and engagement the industry partners brought with them to the meeting, and she said attendance exceeded her expectations despite rain throughout the day.
Dr. Brandon Jenkins, SCC executive vice president, said feedback from business and industry partners plays a vital role in ensuring the college’s programs remain relevant and responsive to workforce needs.
“Our advisory committee meetings allow our academic programs and faculty to hear directly from our business and industry partners on ways to improve our programs and ensure they are aligned with current industry trends and standards,” Jenkins said. “Our partners often see challenges and opportunities in real time, and that feedback helps us make critical adjustments to program learning outcomes so graduates leave with skills that are both appropriate and applicable in today’s workforce.”
Like many employers across the region, Jenkins said industry partners frequently identify workforce readiness skills as an area of concern.
“Most often, we hear from partners regarding soft skills, including communication, teamwork, adaptability, problem-solving, time management and leadership,” he said.
To help students develop those skills, SCC incorporates workplace expectations and collaborative learning experiences throughout its programs.
“Communication, teamwork and problem-solving can be addressed through course activities and assessments,” Jenkins said. “Group assignments help teach teamwork and adaptability, while class presentations, mock interviews and meetings help foster communication skills. Time management is encouraged through attendance expectations, monitoring tardiness and requiring students to submit assignments on time.”
Tina Little, director of Career Technical Education and Federal Programs for Columbus County Schools, said collaboration among the county’s educational institutions is critical to developing a skilled workforce.
“Columbus County Schools is proud to be a member of the partnership with Southeastern Community College and Whiteville City Schools,” Little said. “Working jointly, our three educational systems create a more connected workforce pipeline, from high school CTE courses to college training and ultimately employment.”
Little said employers consistently report several workforce concerns, including difficulty finding applicants with the necessary technical skills, challenges with attendance and reliability, and a lack of workforce readiness skills such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving and professionalism.
To address those concerns, Columbus County Schools has aligned its CTE programs with local workforce needs while expanding industry-recognized credentials, work-based learning opportunities and partnerships with local employers and educational institutions.
“Our CTE courses provide students with hands-on technical training and employability skills built directly into the curriculum,” Little said. “Students are taught leadership skills, communication, teamwork, problem-solving, professionalism, work ethic and workforce etiquette.”
Beyond classroom instruction, students participate in career fairs, job shadowing experiences, internships, industry visits and career-focused student organizations that expose them to real-world workplace expectations before entering the workforce.
Susan Watson, director of Career and Technical Education for Whiteville City Schools, said employers consistently emphasize the importance of transferable skills when hiring and retaining employees.
“When talking with our industry partners and employers, I have found they all mention the same issues: a lack of transferable skills,” Watson said. “Many young people have not developed the communication, critical thinking and time management skills needed to be successful in the workplace.”
According to Watson, employers frequently cite concerns ranging from poor written communication and missed deadlines to attendance issues and an inability to analyze information and make informed decisions.
To address those challenges, Whiteville City Schools integrates workforce readiness skills throughout its CTE curriculum.
“Whiteville City Schools CTE incorporates transferable skills in all of our courses,” Watson said. “Writing assignments require proper grammar and punctuation, and much of our classroom instruction is project-based and built around real-world simulations. Students also participate in mock interviews and class presentations to practice professional communication.”
Watson said students regularly engage in activities that strengthen critical thinking and problem-solving abilities by applying classroom instruction to real-world scenarios.
For industry partners, the advisory council provides an opportunity to collaborate with educators while helping shape the future workforce.
“I think these meetings are great because they give business owners a chance to network with one another while also sharing our concerns and workplace needs that impact our day-to-day operations,” said Clarice Faison, owner of Precious Minds Learn N Play Academy in Cerro Gordo.
Faison said one of the greatest benefits of participating is the opportunity to influence how future employees are trained before they enter the workforce.
“It also gives us the rare chance to influence the training of our future employees,” she said. “It’s a huge win for both businesses and the community at large.”
Through the ongoing partnership between Southeastern Community College, Columbus County Schools and Whiteville City Schools, the Business & Industry Advisory Council will continue serving as a forum for open dialogue between education and industry, helping ensure students are equipped with the skills employers need while supporting economic growth in Columbus County.
The next advisory council meeting is scheduled for Feb. 25, 2027, at 6 p.m.
