Your Local Launchpad: Free Benefits at Our Career Opportunity Centers

Finding a new job is a job in itself. It requires tools, access, and personalized support—resources that are often expensive or difficult to locate.

Palmetto Goodwill operates 11 Career Opportunity Centers (COC) across South Carolina to serve as your dedicated employment headquarters. We provide resources to remove barriers so you can focus on success.

Free Job Help South Carolina residents need starts here. We offer everything from digital skills training to immediate financial assistance.

Your employment headquarters: Every job seeker receives personalized, one-on-one mentorship from a dedicated Success Coach at our Career Opportunity Centers.

1. Direct Benefits: Financial and Material Support

We recognize that the journey to employment can create financial stress. Our COCs leverage relationships with over 50 partner organizations throughout South Carolina to connect you with essential support.

Essential Vouchers and Aid:

• Vouchers (Clothing, Furniture, etc.): We partner with local organizations (like the American Red Cross) that issue clothing vouchers for professional attire and vouchers for essential furniture. Our role is to connect you directly to these partners to secure the aid you need.

• Bus Passes: Need reliable transport to job interviews or training programs? We provide bus passes and transportation assistance to qualified participants.

• Emergency Housing Resources: If you are facing a crisis, such as displacement due to a fire or eviction, we connect you to local partners within your COC’s area who can provide emergency housing and utility assistance.

• SNAP and Unemployment Assistance: Our staff provides Application Assistance. Specifically, we help you apply for unemployment benefits, SNAP benefits, and other critical community resources to maintain stability while you search for work.

Support for the whole family: Our Career Opportunity Centers understand the challenges of job search while managing family needs, offering holistic support and resource assistance.

2. Professional Tools: Resumes and Digital Access

In the modern recruiting era, Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) scan resumes for specific keywords and formatting. Our COCs provide the professional services necessary to compete in this digital landscape.

Free Training and Prep Services:

• Expert Resume and Interview Prep: Benefit from expert advice to help you land your dream job. Your dedicated success coach will support you throughout your career journey, offering advice on resume keywords and action verbs.  

• Digital Access: We offer free, in-house access to computers and high-speed internet. This ensures you can create and manage your job search emails, submit online applications, and maintain a professional presence.

• Job Leads and Exploration: We provide immediate insight into Palmetto Goodwill job opportunities. We also connect you with local employers who are actively hiring in your area.

Beyond self-study: Our Career Opportunity Centers often host specialized workshops and training sessions led by experienced instructors to boost your job readiness.

3. Training and Coaching: Your New Career Path

The most valuable benefit of the COC is the access it provides to our full suite of training programs and personalized mentorship.

Personalized Guidance to Get Certified:

• Success Coaches: Need a clear career plan? Our Success Coaches provide one-on-one assistance to help you set specific goals, choose a career path, and address barriers to employment.  

• Free Professional Certifications: Access self-paced online courses at no cost. Qualified clients (including SNAP recipients, veterans, and veteran spouses) can participate in training like the Google Coursera Professional Certificates to gain in-demand digital skills.  

• Financial Assistance: If you require assistance, contact our mission services team to check eligibility for scholarships, grants, or financial support for training programs.

Personalized Mentorship: Your Success Coach provides one-on-one assistance—from reviewing your resume to securing transportation aid—ensuring immediate job search barriers are removed.

4. Our Community Workforce Network

We are the best resource for job seekers because we partner with local organizations and businesses to consolidate all necessary training, resources, and hiring events into one accessible location.

Consolidated Resources and Events:

• Partnering for Success: We collaborate with key partners like the South Carolina Department of Social Services (DSS), Local Workforce Development Boards (LWDB), and healthcare providers to ensure our training and resources meet regional employer demands.    

• Hiring Events and Workshops: Stay ahead of the competition! Check our Events Page for upcoming job fairs, employer hiring events, and specialized skills workshops hosted right at your local COC.

• Success in Action: The COC model works. Read about Jarrod’s CDL career built with SNAP2Work support and how the Palmetto Warrior Connection helped veteran Rex Bills secure housing and employment after facing homelessness.

Jarrod’s journey proves the COC model works: stable career success built with support, training, and the SNAP2Work program.

5. Your Role in the Mission

Every service provided at our COCs is funded by your community support. The COC is the link between your thrift store finds and a neighbor finding a new job near me.

Support the Mission:

• Every Dollar Funds Coaching: When you shop secondhand at Palmetto Goodwill, more than 91¢ of every dollar directly funds these job training and education programs.

• Donate Goods: Your unused clothing, electronics, and household items are converted into funds that pay for job coach salaries and the essential resources found in every COC.

• Find Your Local COC:

  We have 11 Career Opportunity Centers across the region ready to help you start your journey. Each center is locally partnered to offer the best resources in your area.

  • Beaufort COC – 137 Parris Island Gateway Beaufort, SC

  • Carolina Forest COC – 2164 Oakheart Road Carolina Forest, SC 29579

  • Florence COC – 1551 2nd Loop Road Florence, SC 29505

  • Summerville COC – 222 Old Trolley Road Summerville, SC

  • Georgetown COC – 1520 Highmarket Street Georgetown, SC 29440

  • N. Myrtle Beach COC – 3336 Highway 17 South unit aa North Myrtle Beach, SC

  • Market Common COC – 2754 Agnes Lane Myrtle Beach, SC

  • North Charleston COC – 2150 Eagle Drive North Charleston, SC 29406

  • Orangeburg COC – 1734 St Matthews Rd Orangeburg, SC

  • Sumter COC – 1028 Broad Street Sumter, SC 29150

  • Walterboro COC – 112 Robertson Boulevard Walterboro, SC

  Ready to get started?