COLUMBIA, S.C. (WSPA) – Recent statistics from the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce (SCDEW) indicate that the state’s employment landscape is on the rise as the summer season kicks off.

Thousands of jobs were added in May and unemployment on a continued downward trend.

South Carolina added 5,400 nonfarm payroll jobs, bringing the total to around 2.41 million statewide.

The unemployment rate dropped to 4.1%, with an estimated 105,705 people unemployed, which is a decrease from around 106,470 in April.

SCDEW officials attribute this progress to effective leadership within the state’s government and a supportive atmosphere for businesses, which have been pivotal in sustaining job growth.

“From the Governor on down, there’s a strong commitment to ensuring South Carolina remains a business-friendly state that attracts diverse industries,” stated Bryan Grady, the Assistant Executive Director of Labor Market Information at SCDEW. “And that’s clearly been reflected in the results we’ve observed.”

The report highlighted low unemployment rates in both the Upstate and Lowcountry, with the Midlands showing steady economic growth.

“You haven’t seen the extremely high rates of population growth here that you see in Greenville or Charleston,” Grady said. “But the Midlands remains economically stable, with a workforce anchored by state government, the University of South Carolina, and major hospital systems.”

SCDEW officials also discussed ongoing efforts, they are doing, to connect job seekers directly with employers through job fairs and workforce services, including SC Works.

“South Carolina is connecting people with amazing companies hiring across the state,” said Catherine Hill, SCDEW Senior Business Services Consultant. “Depending on the job you want, we have it, and it works.”

Hill added that seeing job seekers succeed is one of the most rewarding parts of her work.

“Many people leave our job fairs with interviews already scheduled. That personal connection makes a huge difference compared to just applying online.”