The “Build Dakota” scholarship has grown exponentially since its inception.
The program has produced nearly 4,000 graduates ready for the work force on day one.
The Build Dakota scholarship is a national outlier that shows that technical college education is needed in the American workforce.
Dana Dykhouse is the CEO of First Premier Bank. He said Build Dakota scholars are needed more now than ever and are vetted by experts.
“The people that should make the decision are the people in the front line. The admissions counselors and the academic counselors and the guidance counselors at our technical schools. Because they deal with these people, and as I first started talking with them, if you say its free some kid will go, ‘yeah, I’ll try welding its free.’ They will know instantly who’s got the aptitude and the stick-to-itiveness to see that program through and be successful,” said Dykhouse.
The need for younger workers is apparent. Adam Joachim is a Build Dakota Scholarship recipient.
“Getting more experience expanding my knowledge and helping pass that down to people below me. There is a very big need for construction, and the experience in the construction field its mostly older people that in the next ten years they are going to retire. So, we need to get more experience in that field so that we continue the work that we do and continue to build the infrastructure,” said Joachim.
The Build Dakota Scholarship supports nursing, engineering, automotive, and agricultural technology.
The program boasts six-figure salaries for specialist in their field after working more than five years.
This year marks the tenth anniversary of the scholarship program.
