A Minnesota based company is expanding in South Dakota. Eagle Creek Software Services already has a technology center in Pierre and now it is promising 200 new jobs in Vermillion. The company president says he hopes to add 800 more jobs within five years. Ken Behrendt says his company will help design IT classed to be taught at the University of South Daktoa as a way to train future employees. Behrendt says he's looking for students who are looking for a career.
"We train them," says Behrent. "We have technology, great customers, great experience that comes in the first three years. So we're looking for that person who is really trying to figure out a career and doesn't really now but is willing to make a lateral move from a university to like Vermillion or Vermillion to a small town that they like and it's a jump start for their career."
The state is offering tuition reimbursement for USD students. Governor Dennis Daugaard says the state will pay up to $2,000 per student for 2005 students and the Vermillion economic development organization will match that. Daugaard says the state typically offers training dollars for new companies to move to South Dakota. He says this is the first time money has gone to a University.
"It will pay for tuition and fees for the students to take the class. It's not only good for the University to help them find financing for the student but it helps the students who may be on the edge financially and are looking for a way to finish their last two years of college or maybe take some post graduate courses that may lead to a career they couldn't otherwise find," says Daugaard.
Daugaard says the state is willing to consider tuition reimbursement for other job training opportunities if it fits. Eagle Creek will begin taking applications later this year for its Vermillion Technology Center and will open a new facility in 2014.