The Palmetto Trades Foundation is 501 c3 nonprofit providing scholarships for Building Construction Cate Completion, high school graduates. The scholarships are unique in that they can be used for a trade school or to purchase tools and equipment, should that student choose to enter a career in the trades directly out of high school. 

Michael Ross is a higher education and workforce development leader with nearly two decades of experience connecting people, organizations, and communities to training and education. Currently serving as Business Solutions Director for Government Agencies and Non-Profits at Midlands Technical College, Michael has spent the better part of nine years at MTC helping shape programs in advanced manufacturing, industrial technologies, and trades — building bridges between the college and the employers and agencies that depend on a skilled workforce. Before joining MTC, he led regional operations for a nonprofit rescue mission in upstate New York, where he grew donor giving, multiplied volunteer engagement, and turned a struggling program into a thriving part of larger organization.

Paige Long is an experienced Talent Acquisition professional with more than 20 years in recruiting, human resources, and business development. She currently serves as a Talent Specialist with Nucor Buildings Group, where she manages full-cycle recruiting for corporate and field-based roles, builds strategic partnerships with business leaders, and drives initiatives that strengthen Nucor’s workforce and culture.

​

Before joining Nucor, Paige held multiple recruiting and leadership roles with BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, SystemTec, and other talent-focused organizations, where she specialized in developing recruiting strategies, improving processes, and enhancing the candidate experience.

She is passionate about connecting people with meaningful opportunities, supporting workforce development, and building collaborative relationships that strengthen both organizations and communities.

William Earl Capps is a career human resources professional with over 25 years' experience with personnel and occupational safety management experience in the construction, manufacturing and e-commerce sectors. A Charleston native with a BA and MA in Communication, he lives in Lancaster with his wife Amy. He served on the SCWorks Trident Board for six years and has also served as an adjunct professor at several colleges including the College of Charleston, USC-Lancaster and Central Piedmont Community College.