OneSpartanburg, Inc. recently announced a new, formalized brand to coalesce efforts to engage Spartanburg’s youth labor force: EDGE.
The announcement was made among private sector and public employer partners. EDGE is the latest addition to OneSpartanburg, Inc.’s ongoing effort to increase opportunities for work-based learning opportunities like internships, apprenticeships and more for Spartanburg County students.
"EDGE brings together all the work we've done so far under one easy-to-identify heading" Dr. Ron Garner, chief talent officer for OneSpartanburg, Inc. said. "As of today, finding your ‘edge’ in the workforce has never been easier across Spartanburg."
The name ‘EDGE’ references the leg-up gained through early career experience for students, as well as the added talent pipeline employers gain when successful work-based learning programs are developed.
The work of EDGE is supported by the OneSpartanburg Vision Plan, a countywide economic and community development strategy and Movement 2030, a Spartanburg Academic Movement-led plan to dramatically advance economic mobility and educational attainment across Spartanburg County.
The drive to create work-based learning opportunities countywide has been successful. In summer 2024, employers committed to 203 of these placements. That number rose to 556 in summer 2025 and will eclipse 600 in total for the summer of 2026.
Taylor Dement, OneSpartanburg, Inc. vice president of talent strategy, said he is excited to see the continued growth of student workforce engagement under the new heading.
"Internships are critical experiences for students — often giving them an advantage in starting salary, number of job offers and entry-level success. But they also offer a practical recruitment pipeline for both private-and public-sector employers with longer employee retention rates, hence the name EDGE," Dement said.
