Build Dakota Grant Creates Opportunities

by Shiloh Francis

Have you found yourself with a plumbing or electrical problem you could not fix yourself? You ask around, find referrals, and then discover it’s going to take several weeks for someone to come to your home? If so, you know firsthand the pain caused by the shortage of skilled talent that exists in these industries.

And it’s not just electricians or plumbers.

There’s a talent shortage in other trade skill areas such as nursing, construction, automotive, manufacturing, welding, and more. These are job areas that are not only in high-demand but also pay good, livable wages. For many interested in learning one of these career routes, a significant barrier exists: the cost of attending school to learn the trade.

Fortunately, there is a program in place to help overcome the barrier for students entering the field. At the same time, it directly benefits the business by creating a direct talent pipeline: The Build Dakota Scholarship Fund.

Through Build Dakota, businesses commit to sponsoring a student by paying for part of their education while the fund pays the other portion. The student is able to complete this in-demand advanced training without the financial burden while the employer gets a high-skilled worker. Students must also commit to working in South Dakota in that field for a minimum of three years.

Seeing the need this program fills to secure a talent pipeline and help people enter the workforce, Elevate Rapid City wants to help more businesses get involved. The Revitalize Grant provides the opportunity for businesses to become new Industry Partners of the Build Dakota Scholarship Fund, with half the expenses covered through the grant.

The Elevate Revitalize Grant provides the business with the flexibility to utilize the grant for a current employee or work with a technical school to identify a qualifying student. Businesses interested in taking advantage of this program can learn more at elevaterapidcity.com/applications.