Education / Seminars

South Carolina Economic Development Institute (The Institute)

The South Carolina Economic Development Institute (The Institute), formerly known as The South Carolina Economic Development School (SCEDS), will offer a highly interactive curriculum to this year’s participants, affording them a greater “hands-on” economic development learning experience. The Institute, a twenty year partnership between the South Carolina Department of Commerce, the South Carolina Economic Developers' Association, and the Tate Center for Entrepreneurship at the College of Charleston, has graduated 756 participants since its inception.

The Institute will continue to be comprised of four two-day educational sessions. Sessions 1 and 4 will be held at the Tate Center for Entrepreneurship at the College of Charleston. Another new addition to the 2010 program will be the introduction of “on-site” visitations for Sessions 2 and 3. Locations for these sessions will be determined in the near future.

Sessions and dates for the 2010 Institute are:

Session 1: Leadership & Communication Skills – February 11-12
Session 2: Community Development & Tourism – May 6-7
Session 3: Economic Development Today – August 19-20
Session 4: Product Development & Transportation – November 4-5

In addition, program content for 2010 will be will be significantly enhanced with more emphasis being placed on presenters as well as subject matter.

The Institute serves to educate those who support and participate in economic development activities in their communities. Attendees represent a wide variety of organizations including city and county councils, county economic development boards, school boards, utility companies, local/state government, banks and others.

Please click here to access The Institute brochure or click here for online registration information.

For additional information, please contact SCEDA at (803) 929-0305 or Cantrece White with the College of Charleston at (843) 953-5628.

South Carolina Certified Economic Developer (SCCED)

This week long course is available for professional economic developers with a minimum of 3 years of full time economic development experience and who have attended other economic development training courses. It is intense, but will provide you with new and improved tools in your professional bag of tricks.

Graduates of the program earn the "SCCertified Economic Developer" certification. After initial certification, members must recertify every two years in order to maintain their status.

Listen to what some of your peers are saying about this program:

“In all of my years of attending professional economic developmentprograms, this was the most effective, targeted program that I have ever experienced.” Bill Workman

“It was tough setting aside all of the urgent matters in Orangeburg County for a whole week in order to attend this program. But, I am glad I did. It was well worth it.” Hal Johnson

The program is sponsored by the South Carolina Economic Developers’ Association; The South Carolina Department of Commerce; and the Tate Center at the College of Charleston.