GREENWOOD — Pickens County was presented with the Rural Education Award for the Business and Industry Showcase by Governor Nikki Haley at the 22nd annual Rural Summit sponsored by the South Carolina Department of Commerce.
The Business and Industry Showcase, a collaborative effort sponsored by Pickens, Anderson and Oconee Counties, reaches approximately 5,000 8th and 9th grade students each year through an exhibition-style event held at Littlejohn Coliseum in Clemson.
During the event, students have the opportunity to interact with company representatives from a wide variety of business and industry sectors. The young men and women learn about the courses of study required to land the jobs represented at the showcase and then apply that knowledge toward the development of their Individual Graduation Plans, which are required for each student beginning in the 8th grade.
“It is an honor to accept the Rural Summit Education Award on behalf of all of the companies and organizations that work so hard to make the Business and Industry Showcase a success each year,” said Ray Farley, Executive Director of Alliance Pickens. “This comes as a result of the growing allegiance between the School District of Pickens County, the Pickens County Council and the existing business and industry community in Pickens County.
“This event exposes students to the tremendous opportunities available in their own backyard and gives them a chance to hear, directly from employers, the courses they should take and the skills they must have to meet the needs of companies who are looking for highly skilled and technically advanced employees.
“Our goal is to continue to make this program stronger and even more effective for both the companies and the students in our community.”