The Career Connections program has achieved impressive results in just its second year. More than 20 talented and motivated scholars have received highly competitive scholarships from renowned programs like Build Dakota, Freedom, and Dakota Corps, enabling them to pursue higher education in various fields such as engineering, healthcare, nursing, computer science, business, and skilled trades.
Kayla Galindo-Lemus, a Lincoln High School graduate and Build Dakota scholar who chose Muth Electric, will join the Muth Electric family this Fall. Shannon Globke, District Manager for Muth Electric, says, “we are honored to be part of the program and excited to have Kayla join our team.”
In addition, nine graduates have been accepted into the Sioux Falls PD Cadet program, a new and highly selective initiative set to launch in August 2023. This program aims to support the area’s law enforcement personnel pipeline.
The success of Career Connections is a testament to its unwavering focus on providing students with immersive career learning opportunities, such as job shadows and project-based internships. The program addresses common barriers to post-secondary education, including financial obstacles and a lack of employer support for flexible schedules.
Since its inception in 2021, Career Connections has helped 426 graduating seniors become first-generation college students. This approach sets them on the path to fulfilling and in-demand careers that will meet the workforce needs of local employers.
Emily Koo, EL Department Chair at Lincoln High School, shared her excitement about the program: “Career Connections is an incredible program, and we are thrilled with the opportunities to help our students.”
Denise Guzzetta, the Vice President of Talent and Workforce for the Sioux Falls Development Foundation, expressed her pride and optimism about the program’s future. She attributed the program’s progress and tremendous results to the collaboration and engagement of teachers, counselors, and employers involved in the program. She also acknowledged the instrumental role played by the program’s partners in helping students make viable and financially rewarding career choices.
Our organization is proud to offer 14 talent and workforce programs for our partners to utilize as a valuable community resource to enhance their workforce efforts, both now and in the future. This year alone, we have had over 12,000 direct participants in our talent and workforce programs, with almost 60% participating in Forward Sioux Falls programming, which is specifically designed for companies with immediate hiring needs.
Our virtual and in-person programming includes Talent Thursday, INTERN Sioux Falls, Talent Now offered at the Summit League have been tremendously successful in connecting employers with talent seeking employment. Mike West, executive associate director for external affairs at the University of Nebraska – Omaha, has praised the use of the tournament as a recruiting opportunity for Sioux Falls employers with urgent hiring needs.
We are also dedicated to increasing the talent development STEM pipeline in the professional and skilled trades to meet the growing needs of our expanding economy. Our Career Connections has assisted 426 graduating seniors in becoming first-generation college students since 2021 by addressing common barriers to higher education. Students are involved and set on a path to fulfilling and highly sought-after careers that will meet the workforce demands of local employers. Learn more about the impact of the Career Connections program through this spotlight involving Muth Electric.
Career Connections works by providing immersive career learning opportunities, such as job shadows and project-based internships, and addresses common barriers to post-secondary education. Learn more about the projects and impact from two Career Connections graduates and the impact its having on their career choices.
In April, we collaborated and coordinated Talent Talks with Young Professionals employed within our community to helped nearly 4,000 high schoolers envision themselves and a life in Sioux Falls in the next couple of years. Learn more about the strategy involved.
We are also proud to support the thriving healthcare and manufacturing industries by raising awareness of STEM-related occupations and careers while developing the next generation of the workforce for Sioux Falls through our popular Your Future STEM program. Earlier this month, over 200 incoming sixth through tenth graders from the Sioux Falls area had the opportunity to immerse themselves in STEM-related experiential learning as part of the Your Future STEM Summer Mini Camp at Augustana University. Read more about this program here.
Lastly, don’t forget to check out the latest article in our Newcomer Series, which features a family of nine who relocated from Canada and their experiences in Sioux Falls.
And preparations are underway for the WIN in Workforce Summit 2023! Two-time Olympic champion and renowned author Nancy Kerrigan will be the keynote speaker. The WIN Summit will take place November 1, 2023. Tickets are available here.
The past year has brought a lot of life changes for Matt and Mikel Crispo, but as they settle into Sioux Falls, they’re nothing but positive about the future.
“We weren’t really sure what to expect,” Matt said. “We’d never been to South Dakota. We didn’t know anyone that lived in South Dakota.”
The two are both nurses and grew up in the Salt Lake City area. Their career paths led them to Sioux Falls when Matt decided to become a certified registered nurse anesthetist and was accepted into a program at Mount Marty University.
“It’s crazy because moving here there was so much change,” Mikel said. “I gave up a job I loved, I had just gotten married and had to get a new job, and suddenly we’re pregnant, and we have a baby (coming) and no family, no friends here, and we bought a house.”
But from the start, Sioux Falls has been welcoming, they said. A Realtor connected with them and helped them buy a house via a virtual tour.
They moved in April and settled into a west-side neighborhood not far from Roosevelt High School.
Matt started his CRNA program last month. It’s a blend of online and in-person learning, largely in Sioux Falls.
“I really like my classmates,” he said. “No one sees each other as competition, and everyone just wants to get to know each other and help get through these really hard three years. We have a giant group text, and we’ve gone out, and I’ve already met classmates that have kids due too, which was really nice.”
Mikel, a former pediatric emergency medicine nurse, now works as a gastroenterology nurse.
“The schedule is a lot better, and we’re expecting, so this is going to work better with a child,” she said. “I work 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., so I won’t have to leave a baby for a 12-hour shift.”
Matt and Mikel have moved to a place that’s outstanding for nurses, said Denise Guzzetta, vice president of workforce development for the Sioux Falls Development Foundation.
“There are so many opportunities for nurses here, whether you’re looking to expand your skills or find a new way to put them to use,” she said.
“Our health care community absolutely embraces and appreciates those with a nursing background, and we welcome anyone else who can relate to Matt and Mikel’s situation and is looking for that next great career and personal move.”
The best part about moving to Sioux Falls, though, has been connecting with the community, the couple said.
“We love downtown,” Mikel said. “I like to do that every weekend. I love the little stores. We’re trying new restaurants every weekend, and we’re trying to go out and meet people and do things.”
They’ve already been to First Friday downtown, a Levitt at the Falls concert and even participated in the Downtown Burger Battle during their first visit to the city in January.
“We try to do something new each week,” Matt said. “Sioux Falls is small but not insanely small. People go to the events being held. I wasn’t sure how many people would be at a block party or the Levitt, but there were a lot, which is cool.”
Their border collie mix is enjoying all the dog-friendly places around town, and they’re looking forward to outdoor exploration at area state parks.
Matt, a former college football player, has a list of games he wants to attend – from Augustana and University of Sioux Falls football to the Stampede, Canaries and future Augustana hockey.
“I love the promotion nights at the Canaries – there’s even games you can bring your dog,” he said.
For his own workouts, GreatLIFE Golf & Fitness has been a great fit, he said.
“I’ve been going to group classes at a GreatLIFE gym and people would welcome me and ask where I was from and say how nice it was to have us and give us good restaurant recommendations and things to see,” he said. “In Utah, the gyms are so crowded there are times you can barely get a machine and weights, and it’s a zoo. And I feel like GreatLIFE has so many gyms it keeps the crowds down. Everything is clean, and it’s three minutes from our house, so I can just get up and go.”
They both said the biggest standout about Sioux Falls is its friendliness.
“We talk to people wherever we go,” Mikel said. “I wondered how we were going to make friends here, but everyone is really friendly and nice.”
Are you ready to make your move to Sioux Falls? Connect with deniseg@siouxfalls.com to learn more about career opportunities here.
Sioux Falls-area students packed a lot of hands-on learning into three days this month as part of a new STEM mini-camp organized by the Sioux Falls Development Foundation.
The event, hosted in partnership with Augustana University, brought incoming sixth through 10th graders onto the campus and into area businesses for a hands-on look at opportunities their future could hold.
“This new program builds on others where we’ve seen considerable success, including Your Future STEM activities during the school year and Career Connections where we’re immersing students into workplaces and educating about career opportunities,” said Denise Guzzetta, vice president of workforce development for the Sioux Falls Development Foundation.
“Thanks to the engagement of Augustana leaders, students and professors as well as a huge range of area businesses, we’re providing a summer experience for students that will make a lasting impression. Based on the huge early response we’ve seen, this is a program that’s only going to grow.”
For a closer look inside the Summer STEM Camp, click below.
One high school senior tackled an IT project at the Washington Pavilion.
Another learned design-related software at Sayre Associates.
They’re two examples of high school students who this spring were able to immerse themselves in work-related learning experiences through the Sioux Falls Development Foundation’s Career Connections program.
“These are real projects that they’re working on, which is incredible,” said Denise Guzzetta, the organization’s vice president of talent and workforce development. “It’s a way for a company and a way for talent itself to work on a project together but also find if there’s a cultural fit, if there’s a match.”
To see the program at work, click below.
Nearly 80 businesses are participating in Career Connections, which takes several forms — from job-shadowing and workplace visits to these more intensive experiences.
For businesses looking to really connect one-on-one with students, Guzzetta said this approach is a strong fit.
“Whether you’re looking to offset some of the administrative tasks you have or you don’t have time to get to a project that’s been on the shelf, tap into the students we have,” she said. “They’re going to get the experience they want and make that emotional connection, but you’re also going to get someone who’s going to help you with your workload.”
About six months after his sister moved her family to Sioux Falls, Bryan Grim and his family followed.
“We were looking to get out of Canada for a while and see what the States was all about, specifically the Midwest,” he said. “And with my sister here, when we were looking at places, it naturally came to Sioux Falls.”
She told her brother “it’s way sunnier” compared with where they were from in Vancouver, she enjoyed her job in health care, “and the church community she joined was very welcoming, and for her family, that made it a lot easier transition.”
A job search online led Grim to Raven Industries, which embraced his experience in software engineering.
“As a software engineer, I had options in Sioux Falls – from agriculture to financial services – and my mom grew up on a dairy farm, so I always had the attraction to agriculture, which steered me in Raven’s direction.”
He and his wife, Leanne, moved last year with their family of seven kids and found a 6-acre hobby farm southwest of Sioux Falls.
“That was the other thing that impressed me about Raven – they made it clear it’s a family-friendly company, which was a big draw for me,” Grim said. “Looking at a job switch and a country switch in my mid-40s, I wanted it to be as easy as possible.”
At work, he now gets to use his skills working on cutting-edge ag technology designed to support farmers.
“I get to work on field computers that do a lot of guidance and steering for these big machines, and it’s pretty fun to be part of that,” he said.
And at home, he gets to try his own hand at small-scale farming.
“We moved from a 6,000-square-foot lot in the suburbs, so it’s been a fun move,” he said.
“My wife is really embracing the culture, the free space we have and is starting to plant big gardens. We bought 40 chickens, so we’re going to see what we can do with that acreage, and she’s loving it. But we’re still 10 minutes from town, so everything is accessible.”
He also gets to spend time with his sister and her family of five kids. His own kids have loved the Great Plains Zoo and Butterfly House & Aquarium. And with dedicated hockey and softball players, “we’re at the Sanford Sports Complex multiple times per week,” Grim said.
“They’re all getting along pretty good with classmates and fellow church members, and the community seems to be really friendly. It sounds cliche, but when you move here, you do feel the friendliness.”
He also has plenty of company at Raven, which regularly hires nationwide and beyond.
“Raven has grown exponentially,” Grim said. “You talk to most people and they seem to have joined in the last few years. Plus, I have team members in Seattle, Billings (Montana) and in Minnesota. But there are a lot of people moving into Sioux Falls for Raven.”
This summer, the family looks forward to camping and getting to further explore the Sioux Falls region.
“People who talk about traffic here I don’t think have driven in other cities,” Grim added. “Being downtown for work is really nice, and the fact it doesn’t take an hour to get out of it is even nicer. In Vancouver, you go downtown, and it’s a two-hour drive. Here, I’m home in half an hour tops.”
The family’s experience reflects much about what new residents love about the Sioux Falls area, said Denise Guzzetta, vice president of talent and workforce development for the Sioux Falls Development Foundation.
“Raven is such an importer of talent, and we’re so happy that Bryan and his extended family have found welcoming careers and communities within a community here,” she said.
“The fact that he’s able to put his software engineering skills to work in such a meaningful way is a huge win, as is how the family is able to enjoy all the best of Sioux Falls along with a rural lifestyle. We couldn’t be happier to welcome them not just to our community but to the U.S.”
Bryan Grim and his four oldest children on the day they became U.S. citizens.
Are you ready to make your move to Sioux Falls? Connect with deniseg@siouxfalls.com to learn more about career opportunities here.
Sometimes just one conversation can influence a young person’s career.
That’s the strategy behind the Talent Talks program coordinated by the Sioux Falls Development Foundation.
It connects young professionals with high school students, sharing individual experiences and career journeys in Sioux Falls.
“So that people can start envisioning what could be their life here in maybe five to 10 years,” said Denise Guzzetta, vice president of talent and workforce development for the organization.
“The range of presenters has gone anywhere from people in the financial services sector to people that are in public service; that shows a large bandwidth of different types of jobs and opportunities.”
Talent Talks is one of several workforce development programs coordinated by the Sioux Falls Development Foundation.
Get a recap here:
Talent Talks
Want to get involved in our workforce programs? Contact:
Denise Guzzetta
Vice President of Talent & Workforce Development, Sioux Falls Development Foundation
Students from Dordt University traveled to Sioux Falls on April 28th to tour different businesses around town. These English majors were “career curious” about the opportunities to which their degree could lead them.
The students arrived in Sioux Falls and received a tour of Lawrence & Schiller, a marketing and advertising agency. There, they learned more about what types of services L&S offers to their clients and how they adapt to the ever-changing trends in the marketing world.
The students then arrived downtown at the Commerce Center for lunch. Shane Tinklenberg, a Software Engineer at Raven Industries, Ella Rynders, the Brand Manager at Fernson Brewing Co., and McKenize Kooima, an Account Services Representative at BPM, are alumni of Dordt University and volunteered their time to speak about their career journeys and what it’s like to live and work in Sioux Falls.
After lunch, the students traveled to PREMIER Bankcard where they got an overview of national-level advertising, media strategy/buying, and content development. The students were able to get a better idea of how their English degree could be utilized within the financial industry, something they didn’t think was possible.
The final stop of the day was at Click Rain & Lemonly. The students were taken on the grand tour of their new office space and given a rundown of how the two sister companies work together. Their tour guides were Dordt alumni who were able to explain how they utilize their Dordt education in the work world.
The day was a success as the students were given a glimpse of the possibilities in Sioux Falls!
What a wonderful day of exploring careers that will utilize a degree in English! Sometimes students are hesitant to pursue a degree with a broad reach, such as English. This career trek opened our eyes to various roles in a company that can be significantly enhanced by strong writing skills, whether creative writing, or technical writing, or anything in between.
My faculty participant and I particularly enjoyed reconnecting with our alumni. Claire did a fabulous job of finding young alumni to serve on the lunch panel. They were able to share about the value of their Dordt education, why they love living and working in Sioux Falls, and share some valuable advice for transitioning well from college into career.
We are so grateful for the broad reach of the Sioux Falls Development Foundation, which enables them to showcase local employers and opportunities!
Want to bring your students to Sioux Falls?
Claire Herbst
Talent Recruitment Coordinator, Sioux Falls Development Foundation
Nole Curry’s acceptance into a management training program came with a contract: He had to agree to be relocated for his first assignment.
“Once you’re in training, they let you give three preferences where you have an interest in going,” said Curry, now an assistant general manager at Menards.
“They realize if you go somewhere you like, you’re going to be a better employee.”
His top three choices would mean a move from Missouri – but that was the idea. He’d traveled through South Dakota on vacation, and he and his girlfriend, Katie Stricker, are big outdoors people.
Coming through Sioux Falls, “we knew about Falls Park and some of the art downtown, and we had explored the town enough and read enough to know chances are we would love being around here,” he said. “We definitely knew we weren’t going to be miserable.”
But an assignment in Sioux Falls was far from automatic. Both Sioux Falls stores are among the top-performing locations in the company, Curry said.
“This area is hard to get into because people like to stay here,” he said. “But two weeks before my training was done, the west-side store posted for an assistant manager.”
He put in a request to interview immediately and was hired on the spot. He moved to Sioux Falls in October 2022, and Stricker followed less than two months later.
“I love Menards. They’ve been super, super helpful with my move,” Curry said. “We’re the type of people who like to explore, and Menards has given us all that and more.”
Stricker took the first few weeks of her move to help set up their duplex in the Cathedral neighborhood.
“It’s been great. We absolutely love it,” she said.
“We wanted to get the house settled and cozy so we weren’t living in boxes, and then I got a little bored.”
He had such a good experience at Menards he suggested she apply at the east-side store.
“And I’ve now happily been with Menards three months,” she said. “It’s been amazing. I was a teacher for 15 years, so every aspect of retail is new to me, and everyone has been so helpful and kind.”
She also recently was promoted to assistant manager in the paint department.
“It’s starting to feel like a family,” she said. “Everyone says hello and is smiling, so it’s been a really good fit so far.”
Their experience is a good reminder for others in the retail industry that a move to Sioux Falls can be a game-changer, said Denise Guzzetta, vice president of talent and workforce development for the Sioux Falls Development Foundation.
“Retail is huge in Sioux Falls, and as this couple has discovered, our retail industry provides such a positive experience and so many opportunities,” she said. “We encourage anyone looking to grow a career in retail to make a similar move and enjoy both the outstanding work experience as well as the quality of life we offer.”
Outside of work, Curry and Stricker already have gotten to know their neighbors despite moving in the winter.
“People in Missouri are nice. I don’t want this to sound like a dig on Missouri. But people here in Sioux Falls are so incredibly nice,” Stricker said. “The first week, I thought someone was playing a joke on us. Even our neighbors we’re just getting to know are so kind and willing to help. I don’t think I’ve met someone who is unhappy. Even grumbling about winter lasting so long, everyone here is legitimately so kind all the time.”
Curry is amazed that he has “only dealt with one angry customer at work,” he said. “Not digging on Missouri, but I had already dealt with two or three a month while I was training, and here everyone is so laid-back and low-key. The customers love to talk to us at work. It’s been great.”
Their 16-year-old dog “loves the snow and going outside,” he added.
And they’ve embraced winter with their first trip to snowmobile races.
“We enjoyed that and enjoyed some hiking when the weather allowed,” Stricker said.
“And we’ve really enjoyed the food experiences so far. I love burgers, so the Burger Battle was right in my wheelhouse, and it was amazing.”
Now, they even have some company from Missouri because former Menards co-workers also relocated to a home in Tea.
“They have a couple kids, so their lifestyle is different, and they were surprised how easy it was to find a place to live and a day care without even having to come visit,” Curry said.
Looking ahead, the couple already has bought state park passes and is looking forward to a year of hiking, kayaking, hunting and fishing.
“And it was a big draw having a river in the middle of town, plus having live local music options,” Stricker added.
Curry even has gone back to pursuing his private pilot license.
“That’s what Menards and this area has allowed us to do – some things I’m not sure we would have done, but it’s given us more options,” he said. “This town is 10 times the size of where we came from, but it does not feel that way at all.”
Students are stepping out of the classroom and into workplaces that represent potential career opportunities.
It’s part of the Talent Tours program organized by the Sioux Falls Development Foundation. In the past, the program has been geared toward students undecided about their career preferences. This year, there was an intentional effort to connect students with defined interests in fields with workplaces that might be a fit for them.
“We’re working with them to really solidify their connections to our business community,” said Denise Guzzetta, vice president of talent and workforce development for the Sioux Falls Development Foundation. “We’re bringing them on-site to multiple businesses so they make that emotional connection.”
From law enforcement visits to tours of advanced manufacturers, the students are immersed in the workplaces during their Talent Tours.
“I’m impressed with how well they interact and how enthused they appear to be here,” said Todd Thompson, production manager at Daktronics. “I always tell them to find something they enjoy doing for a job. A job doesn’t have to be a burden. It should be something you enjoy doing.”
And these students are seeing that. Many said Talent Tours confirmed their career direction. For a closer look at the program, click below.
The Berger family got a full-on introduction to what a South Dakota winter can be like – and raves about their recent move anyway.
It all started when Travis Berger moved from Texas to Sioux Falls in February. He works in private equity and is a food scientist and chef doing product development for a local company.
While traveling here leading up to the move, “he was stuck in his hotel and got snowed in, and everything shut down,” his wife, Paige, said. “So there are people stuck in the hotel, and he literally hopped in the kitchen and helped feed everyone.”
Neither of them knew anything about South Dakota, and after several moves, they weren’t inclined to leave central Texas.
But after Travis came to Sioux Falls to interview late last year, “he kept saying, ‘Paige, the people are so nice.’ And I’m like, you know what, let’s do it,” she said. “And it’s true. What sold us are the people. Texas prides itself on Southern hospitality, nice people, manners, all that jazz. But South Dakota people kick Southern hospitality’s butt.”
The whole family of five – including 1-month Willa at the time – moved March 1. After buying their house through a virtual call, they’ve now moved in and are getting to know their neighborhood.
“We had just seen the house through pictures, and I am obsessed. I love it,” Paige said. “We lived in a nice neighborhood in Texas too, but here there are kids everywhere running around. It’s so safe. When we pulled up, kids were in everyone’s backyards and sledding. It was crazy. The neighbors were so nice immediately.”
Not only is their neighborhood like that, “the entire town is,” she continued. “I go grocery shopping, and it’s funny because when we lived in Oregon, for instance, people wouldn’t talk to each other. Here, at the grocery store even though I know no one, I might be there talking to strangers for 20 minutes. It’s welcoming. It’s warm despite the cold weather, and it’s a really, really nice culture.”
And speaking of the weather, they’ve embraced that too. Their home is minutes from Great Bear Ski Valley, so the kids already have been tubing.
Her oldest, 5-year-old Milam, starts soccer soon and then baseball, while 2-year-old Nila is registered for gymnastics.
“Our family is big in sports, so we caught the end of winter, which was really fun, and my husband and I are really looking forward to hunting season,” Paige said. “We don’t have any pheasants at all in Texas, and we can’t wait.”
While being mom to three young kids — and a new puppy, appropriately named Dakota — is her full-time job for now, she said she’s excited to connect in the Brandon Valley School District and become involved.
“Before in Texas, I worked with the school a bunch and coached and substitute taught, and I thought about running for school board, so I intend on being involved in the schools here as well as the churches,” she said.
The Berger family’s early experience is a great indicator of what awaits in Sioux Falls, said Denise Guzzetta, vice president of talent and workforce development for the Sioux Falls Development Foundation.
“So often, we see families choose to relocate for one spouse’s job, and the other spouse quickly discovers what a fantastic move it is for them too,” she said.
“Whether Paige chooses to work or volunteer or become civically involved, she’s going to find that same welcoming attitude she’s already experienced. And along the way, the whole family is going to see how family-friendly this community is, from our safe neighborhoods to our terrific schools to the attractions and amenities that add to the quality of life here.”
And in maybe the most promising sign so far: When Paige asked her son if he would miss the snow when it melted, “he was actually sad,” she said. “Because he thought it would be here 24/7.”
In between cheering on their teams at the recent Summit League Basketball Championships, college students from every school in the tournament connected with work opportunities in Sioux Falls.
Here’s an inside look at how the Sioux Falls Development Foundation connected with them off the court.
Summit League 2023
Want to be involved in next year’s event? Contact:
The high school student who walks into a business for the first time and walks out with a career interest.
The college student who discovers Sioux Falls as an appealing city to live and finds an internship that leads to a first job.
The adult who lands a promotion thanks to upskilling for an in-demand occupation.
They’re all examples of those served through an in-depth, strategic workforce development approach through the Sioux Falls Development Foundation that’s reaching those at multiple career stages nationwide.
“2022 has been a huge year for us. Since 2019, we’ve turned pilot programs into really mature processes. When I started, there was a goal of helping people, but we needed a broader strategy,” said Denise Guzzetta, vice president of talent and workforce development. “Our program continued to grow even with COVID as our strategical tactics allowed us to step into a digital, social strategy like never before, and we’re really reaching people.”
That’s also creating measurable results. For instance, in 2022, more than 22,000 people had a direct workforce connection, participating in one of the Sioux Falls Development Foundation’s 13 talent and workforce programs.
In the Career Connections program, 87 percent of seniors participating went on to further their education after graduation, including 11 Build Dakota scholars.
The program, which immerses high schoolers seeking career direction in participating businesses, has generated growing interest from schools, students and businesses.
“During the spring and fall, we had more than 800 kids come through Career Connections, and that was a significant increase from our previous year’s pilot program,” Guzzetta said. “As we look at how to efficiently and effectively move people into the workforce, our greatest opportunity is people we have right here. This is a way to invest in them, remove barriers, address challenges and do so in partnership.”
This year, the program will add a certificate option, “so we’re influencing skilled workforce and getting people into education, so they can have a viable sustainable career whatever their situation,” Guzzetta said. “Now, they’re climbing and accelerating, and in many cases thriving.”
Connecting businesses with college students also is an enhanced focus for the Sioux Falls Development Foundation. In 2022, the foundation hired its first talent development coordinator, Claire Herbst, as part of building “a comprehensive offering for internships,” Guzzetta said.
“We’re looking at how we can serve smaller to midsized organizations that needed help sourcing talent, and how do we help them engage that talent and offer an experience in return to help them build a consistent pipeline.”
Through other programs, “we’ve helped businesses work through how to select the right candidate with the right skills and then engage them effectively and build a culture where they don’t want to leave,” she continued. “We’ll continue that approach, and then we’ll leverage Claire and her skills to actively engage on college campuses and make sure students know about the variety of opportunities our businesses are offering.”
For those already in the workforce, the Sioux Falls Development Foundation also is helping focus on building needed skills. The new Upskill Sioux Falls program helped 109 workers earn a commercial driver’s license last year in partnership with Southeast Technical College.
“We started it as construction season was ramping up, and we knew the community wanted us to find a way to train efficiently for those who needed a CDL,” Guzzetta said. “Southeast Tech developed a great way to train people, and they dedicated resources and equipment and expertise, and that’s something we’ll continue to build on.”
This year, Upskill Sioux Falls will add a focus on technical skills.
“Seventy-five percent of us in the workforce are going to continually need to retrain on technology, so this summer we will offer a program in that area where we know businesses need help and we can have an effect,” Guzzetta said.
By the numbers, it’s clear the workforce strategies employed by the Development Foundation are gaining traction.
For instance, in 2022, there were 304 relationships created with post-secondary educational partners, providing career advice and guidance to early career professionals – up from 252 in 2021.
More than 800 high school and college students completed job shadows or internships supported by Development Foundation programs in 2022, nearly double the number in 2021.
And more than 9 million digital impressions were created through recruitment and engagement campaigns designed to draw interest in Sioux Falls and its career opportunities – up from 2.8 million in 2021.
“Add to that our ongoing high-touch efforts, including Your Future STEM classroom engagement, our Talent Thursday live interview series, our popular online content profiling newcomers to the community and our successful outreach during the Summit League basketball tournament, and you get a sense for the comprehensive approach we take to workforce development,” Guzzetta said.
“We know we are looking at generational change in terms of how people engage, so we’re very committed to meeting them where they’re at with content and experience that connect. We’re excited to build on so many of these successful strategies.”
To connect, learn more
Join the Sioux Falls Development Foundation’s Recruitment Council – a group for any who want to further connect and advance workforce solutions in the business community.
Monthly education sessions offer cutting-edge information on emerging workforce themes, culminating in the annual WIN in Workforce Summit in the fall.
“We have so much interest that often the sessions are virtual, but that also makes it cost-efficient and able to fit your work life so you can invest in yourself and your organization without taking a lot of time away from work,” Guzzetta said.
The next Workforce Recruitment Council event will be held virtually from 10 to 11 a.m. Feb. 28 and will focus on the top three trends to know in order to remain competitive to attract and retain top talent.
Add Amie Martens and her fiance, Chuck, to the growing number of people who moved to Sioux Falls for a job.
In their case, it was two jobs – both at Hy-Vee. Chuck is a commercial baker, and Amie is the general manager of Wahlburgers, the restaurant inside Hy-Vee.
“Our first interview was here in Sioux Falls, and we took it,” she said.
That was last summer, months after she joined Hy-Vee in Nebraska following a career that included everything from call center roles to trucking.
“I’d been to Sioux Falls a number of times trucking – I’ve been to all but three states,” Martens said. “And living here has been great.”
From the start, their employer and the community have stepped up, she said. At one point, when they struggled to find housing after one opportunity fell through, “Hy-Vee actually took care of us until we were able to find an apartment suitable for our family,” she said.
“We have a kayak, and one of the managers at Hy-Vee said we could store it in their garage, and at work I have a great group of employees.”
The couple represents a growing number of new Sioux Falls residents. The city’s population estimates reflect about 14,000 new residents in the past two years. Data from First Dakota Title compiled by the Sioux Falls Development Foundation offers additional insight.
A sampling of change of addresses shows more than 100 new residents from the Phoenix metro area, 65 from two counties in the Los Angeles area, 41 from the Las Vegas metro area, about the same amount from the Seattle area, Colorado Springs and the Chicago area.
Regionally, new residents have come from the Twin Cities, southwest Minnesota, Sioux City, northwest Iowa, Omaha, Fargo, Des Moines and Lincoln, Nebraska – in that order of volume.
“Our experience has been overwhelmingly positive,” Martens said. “It’s completely different than Omaha and Lincoln. Those are college towns, and the political environment feels different. This has more of a hometown feel. When I’ve reached out to the community online about things to do, they were great. Part of my job involves hosting fundraisers, and people gave me ideas above and beyond what I expected. Everyone has been extremely welcoming.”
As a person who lives with autism, she said she finds that especially powerful.
“I’m very open about how I communicate a little differently,” she said. “My employees, my co-workers and the community has been overwhelmingly accepting of that. I’m not shy about it. But everyone has been so loving and welcoming, it’s been amazing.”
They now have an apartment in central Sioux Falls with a rent she said would be twice as much where she used to live in Nebraska. Chuck’s 8-year-old daughter has found a good fit in school, she said, “and we’ve seen so much cool stuff downtown. We love the cotton candy store. We love our neighborhood. It’s quiet and within walking distance to so much, at least two or three parks.”
The family’s experience illustrates the broader trend the Development Foundation identified, said Denise Guzzetta, vice president of talent and workforce development.
“People move for so many reasons, but careers are definitely a driver, and it’s wonderful to see how this family has found a fit with one of our largest employers,” she said. “Amie is absolutely right that this is an incredibly welcoming and inclusive community, and I think that’s why we’ve seen people embrace living here despite moving from such a variety of places nationwide.”
In a few short months, Blake Gullickson will be ready to start his first full-time job, putting his anticipated marketing degree from Southeast Technical College to use.
The path to get there started while he was a student at New Tech High School, class of 2021, trying to figure out his future.
“I remember every week we would go to a new business, and they would tell us about their business and what they do,” he said. “I thought it was extremely valuable. It helped me decide what I wanted to do going forward.”
Gullickson is one of thousands of students who have participated in the Career Connections program, organized by the Sioux Falls Development Foundation. It exposes them to multiple career opportunities in the Sioux Falls area and allows them to take a deeper dive into one organization through weekly visits.
In Gullickson’s case, that was First Premier Bank, where he “spent a lot of Friday mornings.”
Already enrolled in marketing classes through the dual-credit program at the CTE Academy, his advisory team felt Premier would offer a good way to hone his interest in the field.
“I had a lot of good experiences with them,” Gullickson said. “And I know multiple classmates who went through the program chose their fields or college plans because of influences from the program and industries represented there.”
That’s the goal of the program, which continues to build participation, said Denise Guzzetta, vice president of talent and workforce development for the Sioux Falls Development Foundation.
“We’re thrilled to hear Blake and his classmates found this valuable in determining their education and career plans,” she said. “For many of these students, Career Connections provides a first look into businesses and careers they didn’t know existed.”
Career Connections also has resulted in 11 Build Dakota scholars so far – students taking advantage of this game-changing opportunity for a full-ride scholarship as they pursue in-demand occupations.
“The exposure this program provides is critical,” Guzzetta said. “It helps find their natural inclinations and interests and then aligns them with opportunities: training, higher education, internships, mentors and ultimately career paths.”
For Gullickson, the next steps include a February job fair where he hopes to secure an internship as he pursues full-time work.
“I’ve really enjoyed my time at Southeast Tech,” he added. “My time in Career Connections and the CTE Academy led me here, and it was very useful for me. I’m keeping my options open going forward.”
Forward Sioux Falls is a unique, innovative program designed to grow and improve the Sioux Falls region. Created through a joint venture between the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce and the Sioux Falls Development Foundation, we work to outline strategic initiatives to grow jobs, businesses and quality of life.
