SC schedules job fair for former nuclear plant workers

The state is rolling out a “rapid response coalition” to help place workers who lost their jobs on Monday when SCE&G abansdoned its $14 billion project to build two new nuclear reactors at its V.C. Summer plant in Jenkinsville.

Gov. Henry McMaster announced the coalition of public and private organizations called “Employ SC.” It will begin holding job fairs to assist those affected by the suspension of the project. The first event will be held in Chapin on Aug. 14.

The coalition includes 16 state agencies as well as Michelin, Duke Energy, Georgia Pacific and United Infrastructure Group.

The coalition will match prospective employers with workers that fit their needs, the governor’s office said in a press release.

“For South Carolinians, the shuttering of V.C. Summer comes as a jarring break of faith – not only for the thousands of employees now searching for jobs after a decade of construction, but for millions of consumers whose power bills are paying for a project that will never be completed,” McMaster said in the release.

“Employ SC is a dynamic, rapid response coalition of public and private organizations that will connect former employees with employers and available jobs,” he said. “We will not rest until we have exhausted every avenue for those affected.”

The Chapin job fair will be held Monday, Aug. 14, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Center for Advanced Technical Studies, 916 Mount Vernon Road.

In addition, a spokeswoman for the S.C. Associated General Contractors organization, made up of highway, building, utility contractors, subcontractors and suppliers told The State newspaper its members are hiring.

Carolinas AGC would love to get the word out to the V.C. Summer folks that our members are hiring.

It has posted a free job board with positions such as project managers, estimators and pipe crew foremen. More information can be found at http://carolinasagc.ourcareerpages.com/.

This story was originally published August 3, 2017 at 12:17 PM with the headline "SC schedules job fair for former nuclear plant workers."