HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) — Partnership Grand Strand hosted a forum on Thursday geared towards helping employers recruit and engage with students in the Grand Strand area.

Almost every seat in the auditorium was filled with local businesses and school representatives eager to bridge the gap between education and employment.

The “Creating Tomorrow’s Workforce” forum took place at the Horry-Georgetown Technical College Conference Center.

Representatives from HGTC, CCU and Horry County Schools took the stage to present the best ways to engage with students and graduates looking for employment.

Some of the topics discussed were the best time to recruit students, points of contact for each institution and how to get involved directly in the classroom as an employer.

“We have been focusing on the hot jobs that Ashlyn alluded to, working with our business and community partners, working towards what could a program look like that would support those needs,” said Elisha Caudill, an HCS representative. “We’ve got to do a better job of continuing to expose them to the different titles of careers and then connecting them to what the kind of opportunities look like in that career.”

The forum offered a wealth of knowledge for employers and business leaders, while also emphasizing the importance of connection education with employment to drive economic growth across the Grand Strand.