Episode 29, the Talking South Carolina Podcast Interview with Elisabeth Kovacs, of SC Future Makers.

Episode transcript:

Angela Barrett – “I always say, thank you so much for being with me today.”

Elisabeth Kovacs – “Thank you, Angela, for the opportunity to be here with you and talk about the cool things we make in South Carolina.”

Angela Barrett – “So South Carolina feature makers, give everybody just sort of an overview of your nonprofit organization. Give everybody sort of an overview of who you are, and how important that is to us here in South Carolina.”

Elisabeth Kovacs – “Well thank you. Again, South Carolina feature makers is a is the Workforce and Education Foundation, a nonprofit for the South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance. And so, we had that connected dotted line right to the the South Kona Manufacturers Alliance represent South Carolina manufacturers. And manufacturing is a very large base in, in in the state of South Carolina.”

Elisabeth Kovacs – “We have over 6000 manufacturing facilities in South Carolina. We 30% of our jobs are tied to that. And we make some of the coolest products in the world. We are a premium brand state, and people don’t know of the cool things that we make in South Carolina.”

Angela Barrett – “So before we get into some of those cool things, let’s talk about how this the educational part for not just students, but parents and other how that ties in with what you do.”

Elisabeth Kovacs – “So we work very closely, with a, an online platform called Tableau. And students can build a profile and highlight their skills and abilities and whether it’s, you know, their grades, their extracurricular activities, videos of them making things and some of their classes, competitions, like maybe first robotics they can upload and then that, that platform creates a, a resume automatically for those students.”

Elisabeth Kovacs – “Those students can find scholarship apps, around the globe for things that they would be, qualified for. And so we have partnered with Tableau, and this is available to all students and all schools in South Carolina at no charge for them. So, in addition to kind of being that connectivity piece, we do, several various initiatives through South Carolina feature makers.”

Elisabeth Kovacs – “We host an annual South Carolina Stem signing Day in partnership with Boeing and BMW and Nucor Steel and Michelin. We also have a South Carolina manufacturer’s leadership program that we are, that we have begun with the Darla Moore School of Business, where we have our, leaders in manufacturing actually here who are getting executive training so that we can move them up in the workplace here and keep them in South Carolina.”

Elisabeth Kovacs – “So we have our hands in a lot of, various initiatives just to promote, manufacturing and the types of jobs and that they are good paying jobs and that they are clean and technology forward. Right? I mean, a lot of our companies are, dabbling in artificial intelligence and, you know, robotics and things of that nature.”

Elisabeth Kovacs – “And that’s not displacing jobs, that’s just changing the way jobs are.”

Angela Barrett – “Right, right, right, right. So now let’s talk about some of the cool things that are made here in software and all that. Probably a lot of us do not know about.”

Elisabeth Kovacs – “Well, so you can see the background behind me. And, we had done this little, sketch a couple of years ago, and I like to use it when I’m talking to students and, and educators as it’s kind of a game. Right? And so you’ll see on here, we have, we have a commercial jet and we have a fighter jet.”

Elisabeth Kovacs – “And so South Carolina is the only state in the country that produces both of these types of, of aircraft. Which is pretty cool. You know, I could play a game with you and ask you to, to name some of these products, but you’ll see three different cars, right? So and we are home to BMW was our first what we call OEM, which is you know, a main automotive, manufacturer, which brings with them a lot of their suppliers.”

Elisabeth Kovacs – “Right. You can’t have a BMW without having a car seat, which is made by another company, and a steering wheel that’s made by another company. We also make Mercedes Benz vans, sprinter vans down in the Charleston area, as well as Volvo. This was of its first U.S. facility was, right down in Berkeley County, which is just north of Charleston County.”

Elisabeth Kovacs – “We make Starbucks coffee beans. And so, you know, people don’t think of those kinds of things. And we like to really, advocate for that. You know, we are we have eight tire manufacturers in South Carolina, and we produce over 160,000 tires a day in South Carolina. And that’s not only for cars, but that’s for, big equipment.”

Elisabeth Kovacs – “You know, you can see those those big tires going down Interstate 26 toward the South Dillon Ports Authority, they’re being put on to our ships and going across the ocean. So we we touch every part of the world in South Carolina.”

Angela Barrett – So what about the TPI?

Elisabeth Kovacs – “They pull it. They are Aiken County, Cottonelle. So, you know, I’m the advocate. I like to use your products. Right. So Cottonelle made right, right along Augusta River. Kimberly-Clark.”

Angela Barrett – “Yeah. I did not know that. Cottonelle. Right. That’s for sure. Now, I know what Coca-Cola is. And that they’re here. So I’m trying to figure, is that a Pringles can?”

Elisabeth Kovacs – “Is that Pringles? Where does it not? So it’s it’s not they make it or it’s the canning. So it’s the actual cans that, that go into some of our products as well that, I can’t really now I can see what’s up there. Let’s see what else. Hey, you. Well, and people don’t think of the everyday household items, right?”

Elisabeth Kovacs – “So, I like to engage with students. Like, what do you think is in your house that’s made here in South Carolina? You can see a refrigerator right behind me and Samsung, when you’re driving up 26 towards Greenville, fans that Samsung has 1,000,000 square foot facility right at the Newberry exit. Right. So people don’t think of appliances, right?”

Elisabeth Kovacs – “I mean, you brought toilet paper, but they’re household items, data and and, you know, they also make washing machines. And we make bricks in South Carolina. Right. Frozen food so mean. It’s very exciting. And and I don’t think, people are aware of the different opportunities. Right. You don’t have to manufacturer. You don’t have to be in production.”

Elisabeth Kovacs – “You can work in manufacturing as a marketing person, as a, you know, governmental affairs person, as, you know, an engineer, you can create designs, you know, so you can be a graphic designer and there are art and manufacturing. Right? So I think the perception is, is like, oh, I got to go and make these things. But they employ all kinds of different people and a lot of our facilities also, even have health care clinics on their site.”

Elisabeth Kovacs – “So, you know, they employ doctors and nurses and, those perks are available to not only the associates or the team members who work at those facilities, but also their families.”

Angela Barrett – “Yes, yes, yes. Very important. Now, tell me about the socks.”

Elisabeth Kovacs – “So those or, I’m blanking right now, so we’ll just come back to the socks, right? Yeah. So we also make a lot of defense, clothing. You see kind of a vest back there. And so I can’t remember if the socks are defense related or, or if they’re just like, we have Adidas, which is in Spartanburg, so, right, right.”

Elisabeth Kovacs – Right there. Shoes. Some of those make other ones. So you got me on that one because I just blanked on that. Sorry.

Angela Barrett – “That’s okay. There’s that’s a lot. 6000. You know, that’s a lot to remember.”

Elisabeth Kovacs – “And you’re based in Lexington County, right? I mean, oh, we have manufacturing. We’ve got a very strong manufacturing base in Lexington County, but, all across the bars, all across our state. Yeah, yeah.”

Angela Barrett – “So, you know, I saw somewhere on Facebook that was it, you that got to go on the BMW off road course, was that. Yes. And how fun was that?”

Elisabeth Kovacs – “That was very fun. And, and then you.”

Angela Barrett – “Have you one of theirs, I guess.”

Elisabeth Kovacs – “Yes. So as part of their manufacturing facility, they have a test track where individuals who, who purchase their BMW get to come and experience various things that cars can do. And so they do host events. And I had the opportunity at one of their events last year to, to do that. And so, they put you in a car with, some of the things you can drive yourself and others you are you’re a passenger in.”

Elisabeth Kovacs – “But I did their off road thing where, you know, you go up a hill and, you know, two wheels come off the ground and you’re suspending on two wheels. But it’s all done by the, the dynamics and the aerodynamics of the vehicle. And so we made some pretty cool, very high end products. This is Carolina.”

Angela Barrett – “Yeah. I have heard people talk about going to those different courses up there for purchase to be in Delaware. And, you know, some of them being on the racetrack and some of the offered and things like that. So that’s pretty.”

Elisabeth Kovacs – “Cool. I got up to 95 miles an hour, and that’s about as high as I wanted to go before I had to sell were brands. You know, I want to mention, as you see, these products here, is that something that, a CMA started several years ago was, a competition called The Coolest Thing Made in South Carolina.”

Elisabeth Kovacs – “And, actually, last year’s winner. So this is our fourth annual year. 2025 will be our fourth annual year and nominations open actually next Monday. And last year’s winner was the Honda Talon. So the side by sides. So think of it as like a dune buggy. And I’m very excited we get to go do a test track of the side by side in a nice.”

Elisabeth Kovacs – “So, I heard you get really dirty, but, I’m very excited about that. And so, you know, I would love for for the folks who follow you to participate in nominating cool products and vote. So it’s like a, a sweet 16, basketball competition where we open it up for the first week as you know, the general population, and then people can vote daily.”

Elisabeth Kovacs – “And we’ll get it down to, to 16 and then eight and then four, and then we’ll have the winner, at the end of March.”

Angela Barrett – And so where would people go to go do this voting and put in their.

Elisabeth Kovacs – Do we have a dedicated website for that? Coolest thing. Made an essay and I’ll be happy to send that information on to you as well.

Angela Barrett – “Yeah, that’d be cool. Coolest thing. Right. All right. Does that sounds like.”

Elisabeth Kovacs – Manufacturing madness.com? That probably. Yeah.

Angela Barrett – “Just send it to me. We’ll, we’ll put them out on the, social media pages. Very cool. So now students that are looking to, I’m going to say resume a, can I have a prebuilt resume A for them. They go to the website and sign up under the student.”

Elisabeth Kovacs – “Yeah. They can go to our website feature makers.com. And it says create your profile here. And that will take them directly into the tower platform, where they can start to build their build, build themselves right, to showcase themselves. And the cool thing about that is that that’s also, you know, companies are companies who have profiles, can talk directly with those students.”

Elisabeth Kovacs – “And this is a national platform. So as I said, this is not just South Carolina centric. We have over 135,000 students with a profile in South Carolina. But we’re also the only state that has a dedicated, initiative with talent. You know, so so they’ve got over a million users on their platform, you know, nationwide.”

Elisabeth Kovacs – “But we really are focusing on how to highlight South Carolinians and opportunities. And which doesn’t mean that students can’t be privy to opportunities and, and other states, you know, our companies are from around the world, and sometimes they have opportunities, a facility in another state where they’re looking for a summer intern. And so our South Carolina students can go do that as well.”

Angela Barrett – “And again, this is not just for students, but for adults as well who are luring maybe to highlight their skills or, absolutely.”

Elisabeth Kovacs – “The platform is really designed from 13 to 30 year olds, really kind of that primary age group. But, once a student signs up, you know, then that carries them. So we like to say it’s kind of like a LinkedIn and a Facebook got married. Right? So, you know, the students use their personal email addresses versus their school addresses so that they can continue on posts.”

Elisabeth Kovacs – Post K12.

Angela Barrett – “Gotcha. So now do any of these South Carolina industries, manufacturers, do any of them have sort of their own educational program for people to be able to go and learn more? Not necessarily hands on, but maybe, kind the, go ahead and get some of that knowledge.”

Elisabeth Kovacs – “So, I mean, basically, yes, the bigger manufacturers have that, ability to, to have those kinds of programs. And so, we assist them. But, you know, we also for the smaller and medium sized manufacturers who don’t have that, that’s something that we can help with. Right. So let’s just talk example. I hate to talk about some of the big guys, but, Boeing has a Dreamliners program where individuals can go down, students and, can go on field trips down there, and they can learn how to make planes and things of that nature.”

Elisabeth Kovacs – “You know, BMW has a museum where individuals can, you know, and go to their museum and, and and so, again, we work with our partners across the state to make those connections. You know, we certainly have we go to career fairs and highlight these industries as well. So yeah, there’s lots of different ways to kind of touch and feel.”

Elisabeth Kovacs – “Right. You can have some hands on activities based on some of those manufacturers as well. So yeah, there’s there’s a lot of opportunities out there.”

Angela Barrett – “So I didn’t get to this on the website. But yeah, I’m sure you can answer this for me. So somewhere on there, it there’s a list of all of our manufacturers here in South Carolina.”

Elisabeth Kovacs – “So not a list not a comprehensive list. All but it’s more of the industries. And so you can find out about the industries. And then you can have kind of select here the big players within this industry across South Carolina. Here’s the different types of education you need, whether it’s just a, you know, internship, you know, a work based learning, whether it’s a certificate, whether it’s a two year or a four year, you know, the beauty of manufacturing is, you know, you can start when you’re, you know, in high school or even starting out in college.”

Elisabeth Kovacs – “And a lot of times they’re going to pay for your education. So, it’s a way to not even have to take on student loan debt. And explore those various opportunities available.”

Angela Barrett – “Yeah. Yeah. That’s, that’s yeah, a great way to start if you can, so this is a big opportunity for those for those students for sure. And like you said, for the young parents or young adults who have sort of incur, well, I don’t know what I want to do or just what I’d love to do, but how do I do it?”

Angela Barrett – “How do I go about it? And it’s a good, you know, segue into that. That’s perfect. Well, all right. So I’m excited about this cooler, this coolest thing made contest that’s come you said it starts next week, but that’s really them submitting. So you really won’t be able to vote next week. But the maybe in the next going right.”

Elisabeth Kovacs – “Yeah. So nominations are open so people can nominate that first week and then then people will start voting. You know, it’s it’s going to be kind of exciting. I know that we have it what there’s 191 countries in the world. And, you know, we’ve had products that have been, nominated, you know, in 130 countries from from nominations from 130 entries.”

Elisabeth Kovacs – “So, you know, like last year, just for example, Lockheed Martin was the coolest thing. So, so that fighter jet that you see in the top of that and, you know, I mean, they were putting on social media to have people vote for them all over the world. And so we were getting votes from all over the world.”

Angela Barrett – “That’s pretty cool. Yeah, I’m going to have to keep up with that one. So make sure you send that one to me, but we’ll get it on. Yeah. That’s cool. That’s my geek side coming out.”

Elisabeth Kovacs – But I love it.

Angela Barrett – “Okay. Well, thank you so much for explaining this, to us. So it’s, on Facebook, it is the South Carolina of future makers and I think is is the future makers is the Facebook page. Yes, yes.”

Elisabeth Kovacs – “We’re on our social media, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.”

Angela Barrett – “Yeah. Right. Well, fantastic. Well, thank you so very, very much for being with me today. And, let us in on this pretty cool thing that I did not know existed.”

Elisabeth Kovacs – “Well, thank you, Angela, for letting us tell our story and getting you geeked out and excited about the the cool things that we make in South Carolina.”

Angela Barrett – Absolutely. Thank you so much.