Tech Schools Have Unique Purpose for South Dakota's Future

Technical schools play a very critical role in the state's post-secondary structure. While our state universities focus more on the 4-year degrees and all the careers fields opened up by a 4-year degree, technical schools offer critical post-secondary education in the areas of computer information, diesel technology, financial services, medical assisting, and many others.

Much focus has been placed on attending 4-year universities, but often forgotten are the numerous opportunities these institutions offer. Talented individuals may find that a technical school provides adequate credentials to advance a worthwhile and promising career at an affordable price.

Moreover, we have significant workforce needs in the near future that our technical schools will continue to play a leadership role in fulfilling. Key to ensuring the success of these important institutions is to have some form of standardization in order to measure performance and more efficiently allocate state dollars to fit the individual school's needs. We must continue to allow our technical schools the opportunity to collectively and individually partner with the private sector under the current model. As a state we must recognize the funding needs to enable proper capitalization to afford these institutions with state of the art equipment and technology to help move our state forward in the future.

Here is a recent article from the Aberdeen American News:

Graduation and the Economy

Recent college graduates are finding it harder and harder to find jobs in this rocky economic climate, according to the Argus Leader. Businesses are in economic lock down; hiring only as necessary and looking to more experienced, trained individuals who know the ropes to decrease new hiring costs.

Luckily, recessions are part of a cycle and are only a temporary setback for graduates. If South Dakota as a whole can maintain or improve its business-friendly atmosphere, businesses will regain their confidence in the system more quickly and be ready to progress sooner…thus opening up the job market faster for fresh grads to get their foot in the door of a long and successful career that they have worked so hard for.