WHEREAS, South Carolina needs a competitive and skilled workforce to compete in the global economy; and

WHEREAS, many of South Carolina's businesses and industries are at a competitive disadvantage because many of their existing and future employees do not possess the educational skills and abilities to cope with demands placed on them by changes in the workforce; and

WHEREAS, the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) provides significant funding to South Carolina in an effort to help increase employment retention and earnings of workers and increase occupational skill attainment of workers, and as a result, improve the quality of the workforce, and enhance productivity and competitiveness; and

WHEREAS, because WIA is one of the most important tools the state has to tackle these problems it should be used in ways that are tightly coordinated with the South Carolina Department of Commerce's (Commerce) efforts to bring more high-paying jobs to South Carolina and specifically used for training programs that relate to the industries and businesses that Commerce has targeted; and

WHEREAS, positioning WIA within the governor's cabinet at Commerce gives the governor more direct management of an important resource to help increase employment in South Carolina.

NOW, THEREFORE, by virtue of the powers conferred upon me by Public Law 105-22, I hereby transfer the administration of the Workforce Investment Act program currently at the South Carolina Employment Security Commission to the South Carolina Department of Commerce in an effort to increase accountability and better coordinate the WIA program with the state's economic development activities.

FURTHER, I direct Commerce and the Employment Security Commission to work together openly and cooperatively to ensure a successful transition of the WIA program.

Executive Order 94-04 is hereby amended.

This Order shall take effect July 1, 2005.

GIVEN UNDER MY HAND AND THE GREAT SEAL OF THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, THIS 12th DAY OF APRIL, 2005.

MARK SANFORD
Governor

Last Updated: Thursday, July 2, 2009 at 4:07 P.M.