The most productive container port in the U.S, the Port of Charleston provides access to all 20 of the top ocean carriers in the U.S. container trade.

Military & defense talent, with the U.S. Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center (SPAWAR), the Charleston Air Force Base, a growing base of defense contractors and 10,000+ ex-military and government employees, many with high security clearances. Much of this knowledge and experience has direct applications in the aviation/aerospace industry.

Comprehensive workforce training developed and delivered by South Carolina's internationally recognized pre-employment training program, readySC, which develops a trained workforce at little or no cost to the company. Trident Technical College's Aeronautical Studies division is designed to prepare students for two different career tracts within the aviation industry: aircraft maintenance and aircraft manufacturing. The college also collaborates with local companies to develop company-specific programs.

Competitive wage structure. The chart below provides wages typically associated with the aviation/aerospace sector, or visit our workforce and employment page to access a more comprehensive list of average wages by occupation (BLS data). For a local wage & benefit survey broken down by industry sector and company size contact Heyward Horton at the Charleston Regional Development Alliance.

Aerospace & Aviation Cluster, Selected Occupations

Occupation Code	Occupation Title	2006 Avg. Hourly Wage	2006 Median Hourly Wage
11-1021	General & operations managers	$39.86	$35.60
43-1011	First-line supervisors/managers of office & administrative support workers	$20.62	$19.02
49-3011	Aircraft mechanics & service technicians	$20.69	$21.44
51-1011	First-line supervisors/managers of production & operating workers	$25.89	$24.83
51-2092	Team assemblers	$12.94	$12.61
51-4031	Cutting, punching, press machine setters, operators, tenders, metal & plastic	$13.27	$13.01
51-4041	Machinists	$16.35	$15.13
51-9061	Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers & weighers	$15.40	$14.11
53-7051	Industrial truck & tractor operators	$16.11	$13.49
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2006 survey, 9/07

South Carolina is a right-to-work state. In 2006, just 1.1% of private workers in the Charleston metro area were members of an organized union, well below the national average of 12%.

Reliable, low cost energy with the state's industrial electricity averaging 24% below the national average. The Charleston region is served by two generating electric utilities ( Santee Cooper and SCANA/SCE&G) with a combined capacity of 10,275 megawatts, plus two electric cooperatives ( Berkeley Electric and Edisto Electric).

Greater Charleston is also part of the South Carolina transmission grid, which is served by four generating utilities with a combined capacity of 19,721 megawatts. For natural gas transmission and distribution, the region is served by Carolina Gas Transmission Corporation, a subsidiary of SCANA Corporation.

Foreign Trade Zone, with a number of industrial parks and greenfield sites having existing Foreign Trade Zone permits while the entire region is FTZ eligible. Learn more about the benefits of Foreign Trade Zone status.

The Composites Manufacturing Technology Center at Clemson University is the Navy's Center of Excellence for composites manufacturing technology. Clemson has also developed an advanced materials research complex, including an electron microscopy facility, an optical fiber fabrication facility and the Applied Research and Development Institute a partnership between Clemson and the South Carolina Research Authority.

The Center for Advanced Engineering Fibers & Films at Clemson University has been designated by The National Science Foundation as a national Engineering Research Center the only one in the country to focus solely on film and fiber research.

South Carolina Research Authority (SCRA) is a non-profit contract R&D organization facilitating cross-industry collaboration via national and international research networks. SCRA has expertise in 30 market and technology segments, including advanced metals, composite materials, alternative energy and supply chain logistics.

AAI Corporation
A subsidiary of United Industrial Corporation; provides an array of innovative defense technologies. The company's South Carolina Technology Center develops software and hardware for maintenance and flight simulators for the US Air Force.

Boeing
Boeing's local logistics office is charged with coordinating the transportation and delivery of 787 fuselage components manufactured and integrated in Charleston.

Brackett & Cochrane
Performs electro-mechanical assembly for many different industries, including electronics and hardware for aircraft simulators.

Eaton Corporation - Aerospace
The company's local operation is part of its fluid power business, a leading innovator in hydraulic and electronic technology for the aerospace industry.

Global Aeronautica
This partnership between Vought Aircraft Industries and Alenia North America (a wholly owned subsidiary of Italy's Alenia Aeronautica) joins and integrates more than 60% of the Boeing 787 fuselage sections plus installs and tests the associated system elements.

Leatherwood Electronics & Manufacturing
This local company assembles floor grids and door surrounds for the Boeing 787 on behalf of Israel Aircraft Industries.

Parker Aerospace
The local Gas Turbine Fuel Systems Division manufactures fuel nozzles, valves, and injection systems.

SKF - Aero Engine Bearings
A business unit of SKF USA Inc., the company has two Charleston area operations: a precision ball bearing manufacturing operation and an aero bearing service center.

UEC Electronics
UEC provides a full range of support services - including design, development, assembly and engineering - for a range of sectors, including the aerospace industry.

Vought Aircraft Industries
The Charleston area operation produces fuselage sections for the Boeing 787 passenger jet, utilizing advanced composite materials.