Dr. Rebecca Battle-Bryant, a longtime workforce development leader and Summerton resident, has been confirmed as the first director of the newly created South Carolina Office of Statewide Workforce Development (OSWD). The appointment was made by Gov. Henry McMaster in December and confirmed by the Senate on April 16.
The position, established by the Statewide Education and Workforce Development Act of 2023, will serve as the coordinating hub for all state-level workforce development efforts. Housed within the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW), the OSWD is tasked with aligning agencies, institutions, and employers to create a more unified, accessible system for both job seekers and businesses.
“When they first approached me, I was shocked—but honored,” said Battle-Bryant, who left behind a successful consulting business, Battle Plan Consulting, to accept the role. “I just felt like we're at this odd time in our country and state's history, and we need to give of ourselves for the greater good. I know this system inside and out, and I know I can help.”
Battle-Bryant has held leadership roles in higher education, private industry, and government, including as Vice President of Human Resources and Workforce Development at United Infrastructure Group, and as Assistant Executive Director for Workforce and Economic Development at DEW. She also served for more than a decade as Vice President of Corporate Training and Economic Development at Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College.
She said her broad experience gives her a unique understanding of how to bridge gaps between employers, educational institutions, and job seekers.
“I’ve seen the system from a myriad of perspectives—as a hiring manager, a trainer, an administrator, and even as a parent helping my own daughter navigate college and career decisions,” she said. “I’ve also done deep research on workforce trends in rural communities and know how intimidating these systems can be. We have to make them easier to access.”
Battle-Bryant emphasized that her early priorities include understanding the work already completed by the Coordinating Council for Workforce Development—formed alongside the OSWD—and meeting with stakeholders to develop a shared vision.
“I’m not here to add bureaucracy. I’m here to bring people to the table,” she said. “Everyone is doing good work in their own lanes. My role is to help us align—so that employers can more easily find the skilled workers they need, and citizens can better navigate their path to meaningful employment.”
She said one of her goals is to improve communication between state agencies and education systems, especially as employers shift to skills-based hiring models.
“Employers want to know what a graduate can actually do,” she said. “There’s growing skepticism about credentials alone, and we need to ensure education programs are connected to real-world applications.”
She also noted the generational shift in the workforce and the importance of reaching job seekers where they are.
“Younger generations aren’t looking at job listings in newspapers—they’re on TikTok,” she said. “We’ve got to adapt our outreach and make sure we're being inclusive across age, race, background, and experience.”
Originally from Alabama, Battle-Bryant came to South Carolina as a teenager when her father was stationed at Fort Jackson. A graduate of Auburn University, she holds a doctorate in Higher Education Administration from the University of South Carolina. She now lives in Summerton with her husband, Drayton Bryant, and their daughter, Vivian, who is completing a chemistry degree at Erskine College and plans to pursue engineering at Clemson with the goal of becoming a pilot in the armed services.
Battle-Bryant’s first official day in the OSWD role is set for May 19. She will step down from her service on the Clarendon County Voter Registration and Elections Board in advance of that date.
While the position is new, she says the mission is not.
“Workforce development has been my passion for 25 years,” she said. “It’s not just about jobs—it’s about building a system that creates opportunity and dignity. I’m excited to do that work for the people of South Carolina.”
