Students encouraged by Governor’s Workforce 2025 Announcement

Students from Augustana, the University of Sioux Falls and Southeast Technical Institute who attended Governor Mike Rounds’ recent announcement of Workforce 2025, a group of innovative initiatives focusing on providing a competent and qualified workforce in South Dakota, are encouraged by what they hear.

“I appreciate that the Governor recognizes the importance of keeping young people in South Dakota,” said Melissa Stee, a senior at the University of Sioux Falls. “I think these programs are a step in the right direction, but I think it’s critical that the state come to the campuses to let us know about the opportunities in South Dakota,” she said.

“We see a need to accelerate workforce development now, rather than face a serious shortage of workers in the future,” said Gov. Rounds

The South Dakota Departments of Labor, Tourism and State Development, Education, and the Board of Regents have partnered to offer the following programs:
Dakota Roots is recruiting individuals to South Dakota by connecting them to career opportunities with the state’s leading businesses.  Companies interested in relocating or expanding also can receive assistance. 
Live Dakota is retaining current South Dakotans, with an emphasis on those in Generation Y, by educating them about the rewarding career opportunities in-state and the ability to get on the career fast track.
Grow Dakota is preparing students for the workforce and providing teachers and principals a vision for the 21st century high school.
Dakota Seeds is creating new internship and assistantship opportunities in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
Build Dakota is developing solutions to immediate, intermediate and long-term workforce challenges facing industries statewide.

Traci Thoreson, a freshman at Southeast Technical Institute, is particularly interested in Dakota Seeds, a program designed to connect college students with employers. “I’m a cardiac ultrasound major and I’ve been told that these type of internships are hard to come by. Having one website that lists all those opportunities will be helpful,” she said.

For more information on Workforce 2025 and the initiatives within it, go to www.workforce2025.com.