Some South Dakota businesses say they don’t have enough workers to sustain their work for long. That’s one of the reasons they’re partnering with Southeast Tech in Sioux Falls. The education and company leaders are collaborating on a new campaign.
Tech Ed Works for Me is the tagline to a new workforce initiative launched in Sioux Falls. Southeast Tech leaders are reaching out to let parents and students know the highlights of a technical education – and that job openings exist right now waiting for trained workers.
With automotive students working in the background, Mike Sheehan explains his business is part of an industry scraping for qualified skilled workers. His grandfather started Sheehan Mack Sales and Equipment in the 1950s.
"Our company is in trouble. We need these graduates from the tech school here. We need diesel mechanics. It’s vital that we get them," Sheehan says. "We have been a successful company. We are growing rapidly. But we will fail if we can’t supply the service."
More than two dozen other businesses are teaming up with Southeast Tech on the workforce campaign. Southeast’s President Jeff Holcomb says he’s partial to one technical institute, but he wants students to know they have options at all tech schools.