COLUMBIA, S.C. — A recent study from the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce exposed a significant challenge facing the state's higher education system: a substantial number of college graduates are seeking employment outside South Carolina within one year of completing their degrees.
The study's findings, which were released in August, indicate that merely 63% of college graduates opt for in-state job opportunities upon graduation.
Vivian D'Souza, a senior at the University of South Carolina majoring in computer science, is among those contemplating her future.
"It's really about where my job will take me," D'Souza said. "You can work in this field anywhere, so why not choose Columbia, South Carolina?"
Brooke Lindsay, a sophomore at USC majoring in statistics, has observed this "brain drain" phenomenon firsthand.
"I've had some friends graduate and struggle to find work right away just because there are a lot of recent graduates around here, so it's a little bit more saturated than other places," Lindsay said.
The study also reveals that students with degrees in high-demand STEM fields are the least likely to secure or retain long-term positions in South Carolina. In contrast, those in healthcare-related fields are more likely to remain in the state.
Joey Von Nessen, a research economist at the University of South Carolina, hopes to see a shift in these statistics as industries develop.
"We need to continue working on ways to attract and retain talent in South Carolina because, as we're witnessing more growth in the region and companies are looking to establish themselves here, the demand for a skilled workforce will persist," Von Nessen said.
For students like Lindsay, staying in the area is appealing.
"I have family in the Upstate, but I've made a lot of friends here through classes and Carolina band, especially. Staying around this area would be really cool to stay in touch with all those people and maintain those valuable connections," Lindsay said.
South Carolina State University sociology professor Dr. Alison McLetchie said the idea of people leaving the state to get jobs elsewhere isn't unusual. However, she said the state could do more to encourage people to stay here.
"What are they doing in terms of making sure that rural areas have things like Internet access, healthcare facilities, good public schools that would encourage, people to want to maybe return to their hometowns or to move to more rural places and to establish their lives there," said McLetchie.