by C.J. Gustafson
BusinessSchools.com Contributing Writer
October 20, 2004
Columbia, South Carolina was the second planned city in the United States.
It was established because the farmers in the northern part of the state wanted
the capital moved to a more central location -- but even before the General
Assembly voted to approve the city in 1786, the site where Columbia was planned
out had been an important location. According to the city's website, "The Congarees, a frontier fort on the west bank of the Congaree River, was the head of navigation in the Santee River system. A ferry was established by the colonial government in 1754 to connect the fort with the growing settlements on the higher ground on the east bank."
The plan
for a city eventually became a reality, but not without
incident. Much of Columbia's infrastructure had to be rebuilt less than a hundred
years later after General Sherman's Union Army captured the city in 1865 and destroyed
about three-quarters of it by fire. The phoenix, rising from the ashes, is a
meaningful symbol for many of the 116,278 residents living in the 125.2 square
miles that make up present-day Columbia.
The growth and rebirth of the city continues today. There are currently over
20 larger scale projects underway in Columbia to improve and develop the city,
providing many opportunities for business students to get a first-hand look
at public administration and resource management in action. Private industry
is expanding as well, with many companies relocating to Columbia or building
new facilities in the city. United Parcel Service recently selected Columbia
as the site for its southeastern regional air cargo hub, thus providing new
jobs as well as ensuring low costs and timely deliveries for companies located
near Columbia.
The city's efforts have brought praise from business people in the state and
across the country. According to Bob Faith, secretary of South Carolina's Department
of Commerce, "Columbia is a city that knows its strengths -- a vast, diverse
mix of commercial, cultural, and leisure opportunities combined with small-town
affordability and quality of life -- and is focused on developing those strengths
to achieve long-term growth."
One of the strongest sectors in Columbia's economy is the health care industry.
This results in many training opportunities and employment possibilities for
business students interested in health care administration, nursing administration
and related fields. The following is a list of the five top employers in the
city:
- Palmetto Health Alliance - 7000 employees
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of S.C. - 6000 employees
- SCANA & SCE&G (utilities) - 2882 employees
- Lexington Medical Center - 2700 employees
- TriCare (insurance) - 2100 employees
The Richland School District is one of the top public employers and provides several thousand jobs in the city and surrounding area, and manufacturing is another top employment sector.
Business Resources
In an effort to continue developing its economic base and to encourage the influx
of new businesses, the city has a number of cooperative programs with other
organizations and agencies. The South Carolina Department of Commerce, the South
Carolina Export Consortium, the Central Carolina Economic Development Alliance,
and the University of South Carolina (USC) are just some of the groups partnered
with the city offices in their efforts to promote a global and diverse business
environment.
USC is a leader in providing community programs and resources for business
development. Their businessLINK program "brings together five USC economic development
and research resources important to the business and economic development communities,
and provides these communities immediate access to the services…" USC businessLINK
offers assistance with a variety of issues such as developing a basic business
or finance plan, solving productivity and capacity utilization issues, developing
a technology business start-up, outsourcing expensive research and development,
and licensing inventions and innovations. The program also promotes opportunities
for graduate students by allowing them to offer their expertise through businessLINK
and by encouraging local business to utilize the talents of business students
in-house.
Another education-related business organization located in Columbia is APICS-The
Educational Society for Resource Management. APICS stands for American Production
and Inventory Control Society, and as the name implies, the group originally
worked with businesses in those fields. Over the years, APICS expanded its focus
to include a full range of programs and materials on individual and organizational
education, standards of excellence, and integrated resource management. They
are known across the country for their education and professional certification
programs.
Educational Opportunities
Formal educational institutions also offer business degrees and training. Including
the University of South Carolina, there are six other universities and colleges
located in the Greater Columbia area. USC includes the Moore
School of Business. In addition, South
University - Columbia Campus, Benedict
College, Columbia College, Limestone
College, Allen University and
Midlands Technical College are all schools
in Columbia that offer educational opportunities for business students.
Students at these schools can earn Business Administration and Management degrees, Economics degrees and Marketing degrees. They can prepare for accounting careers and e-commerce careers. Several of the schools also offer MBA degrees.
Although Columbia has the population and lifestyle of a smaller city, it offers
a variety of educational opportunities and has a thriving, collaborative business
community that works closely with educational institutions in the area to create
partnerships that benefit both businesses and business students. It is a great
choice for students who want to work while they attend college and for those
who prefer a less hectic environment.
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