South Carolina Educators Complete Apprenticeship Program

Five Williamsburg County employees are among thirty graduates earning professional teaching licensure through the EPIC program.

Updated on Oct. 22, 2026 in Secondary Education

South Carolina Educators Complete Apprenticeship Program

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Should local schools prioritize apprenticeship programs to help staff transition into licensed teaching roles?

Thirty educators from across South Carolina have graduated from the Department of Labor-registered EPIC Apprenticeship program. Five of these graduates represent the Williamsburg County School District.

Why it matters

The program is designed to address staffing needs by providing a structured pathway for school employees to transition into fully licensed teaching roles. It combines professional responsibilities with training to improve teacher effectiveness.

The inaugural class included 8 apprentices who earned bachelor's degrees from Voorhees University and 8 who became teachers of record. Additionally, 7 participants successfully passed their licensure exams.

The players

Tyliya Moses

She is an educator who received the Apple Award for her performance during the apprenticeship.

Voorhees University

This private, historically Black university located in Denmark, South Carolina, hosted the graduation ceremony and provided bachelor's degrees to eight participants.

The details

Participants in the EPIC Apprenticeship program completed the curriculum while balancing their regular professional duties with intensive on-the-job training. The graduation ceremony was held at the Wright-Potts Library on the campus of Voorhees University in Denmark.

The EPI Center was established in 2021.
The inaugural class graduated in October 2026.

Culture Shift

This program aligns with a broader national trend of utilizing registered apprenticeship models to solve labor shortages in public sectors. By formalizing the path to teaching, school districts are moving away from traditional hiring barriers to address staffing needs.

Residents in Williamsburg County can expect to see these newly certified teachers taking on lead roles in local classrooms immediately. This transition aims to improve student success by ensuring that classrooms are staffed by licensed professionals.

The takeaway

This initiative provides a replicable model for other states struggling to recruit and retain qualified teaching staff. Participants gain a clear, debt-conscious path to licensure while districts benefit from a more experienced and stable workforce.