readySC™ — South Carolina Workforce Training Program
South Carolina Technical College System / South Carolina Department of Commerce
Free (in-kind training services)
Free SC workforce training for new/expanding employers
readySC™ provides free, customized workforce recruitment and training to new or expanding businesses in South Carolina, delivered through the state's 16 technical colleges. The program covers curriculum design, training delivery, assessment tools, and recruitment support at zero cost to the employer. Over 250,000 workers have been trained since the program's inception. Unlike cash grant programs, this is in-kind training delivered as a state service — the value is measured in avoided training costs rather than a cash award.
- Funding type
- Program
- Level
- State
- Amount
- No cash award — the program delivers free customized training and recruiting services with real market value of $500–$3,000+ per trainee depending on training complexity. A manufacturer training 100 workers on new CNC processes avoids $150,000–$300,000 in training vendor costs.
- Realistic amount
- Equivalent avoided cost: $50,000–$500,000 in free training services depending on employee count and training complexity.…
- Deadline
- Rolling — no application windows; contact readySC at readysc.org to begin
- Status
- active
- States
- SC
- Payment model
- subsidized services
Who qualifies
- Business must be new to South Carolina or expanding existing SC operations
- Company must be in a qualifying industry sector (manufacturing, distribution, technology, healthcare — not primarily retail or hospitality)
- Training must be for net new positions or significant process changes requiring new skills
- Employer must commit to hiring the trained workforce
Hard requirements
- Location restriction: South Carolina
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Customized pre-employment training curriculum design
- Instructor salaries and training delivery
- Pre-employment skills assessment tools
- Job fair hosting and recruitment support
- On-the-job training delivery at your facility
Ineligible expenses
- Cash reimbursements (program delivers services, not cash)
- Training for retail or hospitality workers (generally excluded)
- Continuing education unrelated to a specific expansion or new operation
How to apply
-
1
Contact readySC during site selection
Visit readysc.org or contact your SC Commerce regional coordinator to initiate. readySC works best when engaged during site selection — earlier engagement means more customized training development time before your facility opens.
~2 hrs
-
2
Needs assessment and curriculum design
readySC trainers visit your facility (or planned facility) to assess job requirements, equipment, and production processes. They develop a customized training curriculum and assessment tools aligned to your specific operations.
~10 hrs
-
3
Recruit and screen candidates
readySC and local technical college staff assist with recruiting qualified candidates, conducting job fairs, and administering pre-employment assessments to identify the strongest applicants for your positions.
~8 hrs
-
4
Deliver training through local technical college
Training is delivered by readySC instructors at the nearest technical college or at your facility. Covers both pre-employment and on-the-job phases. All training costs — instructors, curriculum, equipment access, space — are covered by the state.
~0 hrs
readySC has trained workers for BMW, Boeing, Volvo, and Amazon in SC. For manufacturers, getting readySC involved during facility design (before equipment arrives) produces the highest-quality training because they can build curricula around your actual machines.
Deadline & timing
Businesses engage readySC during the site selection or expansion planning phase. No formal application windows — the program is available year-round for qualifying new or expanding employers.
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Last reviewed 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.