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The Medical University of South Carolina
The Medical University of South Carolina’s (MUSC) history began in 1824 when the Medical College of South Carolina was founded. In 1969, it gained university status, and, by the 1980s, it was one of the region’s major employers.
MUSC’s medical college is the oldest in the South and the fourth oldest continuing education medical facility in the country. MUSC is one of the region’s largest employers, with an annual economic impact on the Charleston region of more than $1 billion dollars. Four MUSC Medical Center hospitals have been nationally recognized and awarded for their findings and developments in diverse areas of biomedical technology. Their research and health care programs include the Hollings Oncology Center, the Thurmond Biomedical Research Canter, the Refractive and Laser Center of the Storm Eye Institute, and the Environmental Hazards Assessment Program.
Tourism
First-rate golf and dining, brilliantly preserved history, and miles of unblemished beaches attract millions of visitors to Charleston County each year. The visitor industry provides approximately 78,000 direct and indirect jobs, with an annual economic impact of more than $5.4 billion. In 2005, an estimated 5.1 million people visited the region.
This thriving visitor industry helps sustain a world-class array of restaurants, shops, and recreational and cultural amenities rarely found in markets this size, which are an assets to any business in town.
Port of Charleston
As the busiest container port along the Southeast and Gulf coasts, the Port of Charleston is a powerful magnet for manufacturing and distribution companies. A full third of the competitive business expansions and relocations announced by the Charleston Regional Development Alliance have been related to the port.
The Port of Charleston is a major economic catalyst for the region, responsible for nearly 55,000 local jobs (direct and indirect employment) and annually contributing $3.3 billion to the local economy. Statewide, the port is responsible for over 280,000 jobs, and annually adds $23 billion to the South Carolina economy.
To learn more about the port and its competitive advantages, visit the Port of Charleston Web site.
Military Installations
High-tech systems and installations developed by the U.S. military often find a home in private industry. One of this region’s growing sectors is the military and its contractors. According to a study conducted in the spring of 2004, the military employs more than 27,000 people in the region – 50 percent on active duty and 50 percent civilian. Military payroll, plus local purchases made by military commands, contributes $3.28 billion annually to the local economy. Local military contractors also estimate their impact exceeds $642 million each year.
United States Navy
The U.S. Navy has reemerged as the largest employer in the region, with over 16,000 employees - including both military and civilian workers.
The region is home to the East Coast headquarters of SPAWAR – the U.S. Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center. The operation works with a myriad of systems including sensors, video teleconferencing, image processing, air traffic control, navigation, computer security, briefing systems, and multifaceted communication pipelines. SPAWAR directly employs more than 1,400 active military and civilian employees, including more than 600 degreed engineers.
The work associated with SPAWAR is helping to drive a growing base of defense contractors involved in the development and installation of sophisticated electronics, software and computer systems. Collectively, SPAWAR contractors employ over 5,000 in the Charleston region.
In addition to housing SPAWAR, the region’s U.S. Naval Weapons Station includes two state-of-the-art naval nuclear power training commands and the only waver-free naval weapons storage facility in the continental United States.
United States Air Force
The Charleston Air Force Base is the largest East Coast air base servicing the C-17, the Air Force’s most flexible and reliable cargo plane. The base also provides a large part of the Air Mobility Command’s Global Reach airlift capability. The Charleston Air Force Base employs nearly 6,000 active duty and civilian employees.
United States Army
The Charleston area is home to the 841st Transportation Battalion, which serves to expedite the movement of military cargo. The 841st Battalion is the busiest military terminal battalion in the U.S. Army, handling more than one quarter of all sealift cargo for the war in Iraq.
The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers also has a Charleston presence, and is involved in numerous water resource, environmental and military projects. The Corps employs 160 civilian and military personnel.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
The U.S. Coast Guard Sector Charleston is a multi-mission unit providing a number of key services, including maritime homeland security, search and rescue, law enforcement, marine environmental response, and port and waterway safety. The Coast Guard employs nearly 800 active duty, civilian and reserve employees.
The Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) provides training for agents from 81 Federal law enforcement agencies. The U.S. Coast Guard has co-located its own maritime law enforcement academy on the same campus, with plans to train about 2,000 students per year.
U.S. Department of State
The U.S. Department of State operates the Financial Services Center Charleston, which locally employs approximately 600 civilians and contractors. The center disburses about $3.3 billion a year in payroll to U.S. citizen Foreign Service employees, foreign nationals and retired Foreign Service officers. The Charleston Passport Center, another Department of State operation, is one of the nation’s two Federal passport processing centers. The Charleston Passport Center employs about 200.
U.S. Department of Justice
The Charleston region is also home to the National Law Enforcement & Corrections Technology Center - Southeast, which operates under the U.S. Department of Justice. The Center provides technical advice and assistance to all law enforcement and corrections facilities within the 15-state Southeast Region.
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