Be Pro Be Proud SC to launch this fall.

The S.C. Chamber of Commerce is partnering with four professional organizations to launch Be Pro Be Proud SC, a mobile skills workshop and workforce development project three years in the making, this fall.

The Associated Industries of South Carolina Foundation, made up of the chamber, the S.C. Trucking Association, Carolinas AGC, Home Builders Association of South Carolina and the Forestry Association of South Carolina, is launching the project-on-wheels in an effort to attract talent to fields including transportation and logistics, utilities, construction, and diesel technology.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data show available jobs in those sectors are projected to increase by as much as 25% in South Carolina in the next 10 years, according to a news release from the S.C. chamber.

"Building a workforce that aligns with the opportunities that exist in South Carolina is crucial to the future of our state," Ted Pitts, S.C. Chamber of Commerce president and CEO, said in the release. "Be Pro Be Proud SC brings opportunities in skilled trades and professions across the Palmetto State. We need a workforce for the future, and Be Pro Be Proud SC is the solution."

The workshop is a custom-designed, 53-foot 18-wheeler featuring hands-on simulators for commercial driving, forklift and heavy equipment operation, carpentry and welding, among other industry applications. The tractor-trailer will tour schools and events around the state.

Modeled after a program in Arkansas, the project first gained recognition in...