Business & Menus Takes Educators Inside Laurens County Workplaces
July 15, 2026
Laurens County served as the sixth stop of the Business & Menus program on Monday, June 29, giving educators from across the Upper Savannah region a firsthand look at local manufacturing and the food and beverage industry.
The program was developed by the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce through its Upper Savannah Regional Workforce office. Now in its second year, Business & Menus connects educators with local industries and food and beverage businesses to strengthen workforce awareness and highlight career opportunities in communities across the state.
The day began with a tour of Nordson in Clinton, where educators from across the Upper Savannah region, including Laurens County School Districts 55 and 56, saw the advanced manufacturing processes that help drive the regional economy.
The group then visited Great Crêpes & More in Laurens for lunch and a learning session. Owner Kaleefa Neely, and the restaurant’s team shared their role in the food and beverage industry and the impact the business makes in the community.
The Laurens County Development Corporation said the program supports its work connecting classroom learning with real-world careers in manufacturing, agriculture, real estate, hospitality and beyond.
“Programs like Business & Menus let educators see for themselves what our employers actually do every day,” said Lynn Finley, vice president of the Laurens County Development Corporation. “When a teacher walks a manufacturing floor or sits down with a restaurant owner and hears what it takes to run that business, it goes back to the classroom with them. That is how students start to understand the opportunities waiting for them right here at home.”
More information about the Laurens County Development Corporation is available at growlaurenscounty.com. More information about the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce is available at dew.sc.gov.
Cover image: Laurens County Development Corporation
