Bank of America addressing workforce gap with $421K investment.

Bank of America is investing $421,000 in workforce development programs across the state, including the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Midlands and EdVenture Children's Museum.

One third of the funding, announced at this week's S.C. Chamber of Commerce 2018 Workforce Development Symposium, will be committed to state technical colleges to provide apprenticeship certification and job training programs.

S.C. Chamber of Commerce statistics show that while critical needs jobs account for 45% of South Carolina's workforce, only 29% of the state's residents have the necessary skills to fill those jobs.

"We understand that individual paths toward economic mobility differ, but job skills and training are a fundamental building block and first step in achieving long-term success," said Kim Wilkerson, Bank of America South Carolina state president, in a news release. "As part of our mission to improve financial lives through the power of every connection, we're proud to help elevate communities across the state by giving community members the power to achieve long-term financial sustainability."

The funding will support the following programs:

Columbia: Boys and Girls Clubs of the Midlands, City Year, Columbia Urban League, Communities in Schools of the Midlands, EdVenture Children's Museum, Junior Achievement of Greater...