CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) – With September being Workforce Development Month, state leaders are doubling down on opportunities for the growing workforce. This comes after the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics announced a hike in unemployment for the Palmetto State. As of July 2024, the state’s unemployment rate sits at 3.9%, a 1.1% increase from 2023. South Carolina joins 22 total states with an above-average unemployment rate.