SC@Work: Rural Connections events are a continuation of our SC@Work: Road Trips last year. The road trips were small job fairs and community events in the most rural pockets of our great state. Those job fairs took place in 2023 at 24 different locations across 17 counties, with over 700 jobseekers in attendance and 600 follow-up interviews. Now it's time for phase two of our rural initiative: Rural Connections! These job fairs aim to be more frequent, bigger, and better!

SC@Work: Rural Connections events are targeting jobseekers with barriers to employment, such as transportation, which prevent them from accessing regional workforce development services. These events can include festivals and community events. For instance, a jobseeker can attend this event and network directly with employers, submit applications and work on their resume in DEW’s Career Coach, talk to community providers, and more. Instead of people in rural communities having to commute for 40 minutes to a job fair, we are bringing the job fairs right to their backdoor!

The state-of-the-art Career Coach mobile unit will be present at certain events, which is a traveling SC Works center that is wheelchair accessible, has 10 workstations for job-seeking activities, provides wi-fi and printer capabilities, and has staff available to assist users. It is an extension of the services provided through SC Works Centers across the state. SC@Work: Rural Connections is part of an ongoing rural initiative to make DEW and SC Works services accessible to jobseekers in rural and underserved areas.

Attend upcoming Rural Connections events in your area!

Date	Time	Event	Place	Address
Friday, March 7, 2025	8:30AM - 11:30PM	Varnville Career Day	North District Middle School	507 Tillman Ave., Varnville, SC 29944
Friday, March 7, 2025	10AM	Virtual Consortium Meeting	Jasper County Worship Center	1130 3rd Ave., Ridgeland, SC 29571
Saturday, March 8, 2025	10AM - 5PM	Charleston Black Expo Job Fair	Charleston Area Convention Center	5001 Coliseum Dr., North Charleston, SC 29418
Saturday, March 8, 2025	11AM - 2PM	International Women’s Day	Varnville Town Hall	95 E Palmetto Ave., Varnville, SC 29944
Saturday, March 8, 2025	11AM - 2PM	Fishin’ 4 Families	Baptist Hill Middle High School	5117 Baptist Hill Rd., Hollywood, SC 29449
Monday, March 10, 2025	10AM - 1PM	Career Readiness Workshop	S.C. Regional Housing Authority	118 Folk St., Branchville, SC 29432
Tuesday, March 11, 2025	10AM - 1PM	Career Readiness Workshop	Lewisville Community Library	3771 Lancaster Hwy., Richburg, SC 29729
Thursday, March 13, 2025	9AM - 1PM	Career Fair Run for Recovery	Hampton County High School	115 Airport Rd., Varnville, SC 29944
Tuesday, March 18, 2025	10AM - 2PM	Wayne Brothers Hiring Event	Colleton SC Works Center	1085 Thunderbolt Dr., Walterboro, SC 29488
Wednesday, March 19, 2025	9AM	Career Fair	Hardeeville Junior & Senior High School	150 Hurricane Alley, Hardeeville, SC 29927
Thursday, March 20, 2025	9AM - 10AM	Career Day	Colleton Academy	500 Forest Circle Dr., Walterboro, SC 29488
Friday, March 22, 2025	12PM - 3PM	Music, Mocktails & Cruising for Recovery	New Life Center - Ridgeland Office	651 Grays Hwy., Ridgeland, SC 29936
Wednesday, March 26, 2025	12PM - 2PM	Lunch and Learn SC Works Workshop	Myrtle Beach Adult Education Center	3301 N. Oak St., Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
Saturday, June 28, 2025	9AM - 12PM	Community Health Fair	Lovely Hill Baptist Convention Center	5905 West Jim Bilton Blvd., St. George, SC 29427
January - August (See flyer for dates)	10AM - 1PM	Federal Bonding Workshop	Palmetto Goodwill	2754 Agnes Lane, Myrtle Beach, SC 29588
Every First Monday (11/24 - 12/25)	10 AM - 1 PM	Mullins Public Library	Resume Workshop	210 N. Main St., Mullins, SC 29574
Every Third Wednesday	9 AM - 12 PM	Community and Homeless Resource Hub	Darlington County DSS	300 Russell St., Darlington, SC 29532

SC@Work Trip Flyers

Want to spread the word about upcoming SC@Work: Rural Connections? Click on the below options to download event flyers for upcoming trips!

March 3 - Orangeburg Flyer
March 7 - Hampton Flyer
March 7 - Ridgeland Flyer
March 8 - Charleston Flyer
March 8 - Hampton Flyer
March 8 - Charleston Flyer
March 10 - Orangeburg Flyer
March 11 - Chester Flyer
March 13 - Varnville Flyer
March 18 - Walterboro Flyer
March 19 - Jasper Flyer
March 20 - Walterboro Flyer
March 22 - Ridgeland Flyer
March 26 - Horry Flyer
April 3 - F airfield Flyer
June 25 - Blackville Flyer
June 28 - Dorchester Flyer
January - August (select dates) - Horry Flyer
Every First Monday - Mullins Flyer
Every Third Wednesday - Darlington Flyer

List of South Carolina Rural Connections Tiers

2023		2024		2025
TIER IV	TIER III	TIER IV	TIER III	TIER IV	TIER III
Allendale	Abbeville	Abbeville	Calhoun	Abbeville	Chester
Bamberg	Chesterfield	Allendale	Chester	Allendale	Chesterfield
Barnwell	Clarendon	Bamberg	Clarendon	Bamberg	Clarendon
Cherokee	Colleton	Barnwell	Colleton	Barnwell	Colleton
Chester	Darlington	Cherokee	Darlington	Cherokee	Darlington
Dillon	Fairfield	Chesterfield	Fairfield	Dillon	Fairfield
Lee	Greenwood	Dillon	Greenwood	Lee	Greenwood
Marion	Horry	Lee	Hampton	Marion	Hampton
Marlboro	Jasper	Marion	Horry	Marlboro	Horry
Orangeburg	Laurens	Marlboro	Laurens	Orangeburg	Laurens
Union	McCormick	Orangeburg	McCormick	Union	McCormick
Williamsburg	Sumter	Union	Sumter	Williamsburg	Sumter
		Williamsburg