Powering possibility: How donors shape the future workforce through Southeast Tech

This piece is sponsored by Southeast Technical College.

At Southeast Technical College, education is built on a simple but powerful idea: When students gain real-world skills, entire communities move forward.

That belief has been at the heart of the NEXT Comprehensive Campaign — and it’s why industry partners across the region have stepped forward to invest. For area employers like DGR Engineering, Grand Prairie Foods and Marmen Energy, supporting Southeast Tech isn’t just about giving back. It’s about building a stronger, more capable workforce for the future.

Investing in talent that drives industry

For Trent Bruce, vice president at DGR Engineering, the impact of Southeast Tech graduates is visible every day.

With nearly 30 alumni on staff across a 170-person company, those graduates are more than employees — they are essential to the firm’s success.

“Graduates are a vital part of who we are and how we get our work done,” Bruce said. “The programs at Southeast Tech are extremely critical to our industry.”

That reliance on skilled graduates is what motivates DGR Engineering to give.

“In our field, we depend on a steady pipeline of highly skilled graduates,” Bruce said. “Supporting Southeast Tech helps ensure students have the resources they need for a great learning environment.”

At Grand Prairie Foods, the connection between education and workforce readiness is just as clear.

“We’ve utilized the Build Dakota program to invest in students, and it has become a source of solid employees,” said Kurt Loudenback, president and CEO. “That’s encouraged us to participate in the campaign.”

A partnership that works both ways

Collaboration between Southeast Tech and its industry partners creates a powerful cycle: Students graduate with relevant, career-ready skills, and employers gain access to talent prepared to contribute from day one.

“By the time students graduate, they know who we are,” Bruce said. “That allows us to hire individuals we believe will contribute to our continued success.”

For Marmen Energy, that partnership also reflects a shared responsibility.

“We can’t expect it to be done for us,” said Aimee Miritello, human resources manager.

“We share the responsibility of helping to create a skilled workforce for our own stability and for the growth of the community.”

Preparing students for what’s next

All three partners point to Southeast Tech’s hands-on, career-focused model as a defining strength.

“The employee of the future will require new skills to capitalize on present and future technologies,” Loudenback said. “A substantial amount of those skills will come from hands-on education.”

Miritello agrees, emphasizing how that approach prepares students for modern careers in the trades.

“Hands-on education is vital,” she said. “The careers in the trades are what build our communities, and today’s manufacturing roles require more skills than ever before.”

Bruce added that employer involvement plays a key role in keeping those programs aligned.

“It’s important for us to help ensure programs remain relevant and viable going forward,” he said.

That responsiveness is what allows Southeast Tech to adapt quickly to workforce needs.

“Southeast Tech does a great job of listening to regional business and industry,” Loudenback said, “and turning that into programs that produce well-prepared graduates.”

More than a transaction — a lifelong connection

For many donors, the relationship with Southeast Tech extends well beyond graduation.

At DGR Engineering, employees — many of them alumni — are encouraged to stay connected and give back.

“As a two-year college, the experience can sometimes feel transactional,” Bruce said. “But staying involved turns it into something more meaningful.”

That sense of connection is echoed by employers who see firsthand how education shapes careers — and communities.

“I think this campaign will open up so many doors for students,” Miritello said. “From expanded program capacity to updated equipment, students will be able to learn on the same tools they’ll use in the workforce.”

A stronger workforce, a stronger community

As the NEXT Comprehensive Campaign comes to a close, its impact is already taking shape — in classrooms, in workplaces and across the region.

“The investment in facilities will provide a solid pipeline of skilled individuals,” Loudenback said, “who will benefit our businesses and industries.”

Miritello points to the broader regional impact.

“The manufacturing industry in our area has been starving for skilled tradespeople,” she said. “This campaign will bring a much-needed influx of trained graduates into the workforce.”

For students, that pipeline represents opportunity.

“I would tell students their future is bright,” Loudenback said. “Take advantage of everything these programs have to offer.”

Miritello reinforces that message with practical advice.

“Treat your time in school as practice for your career,” she said. “Show up, work hard, and take advantage of your instructors’ expertise.”

For employers, it means a workforce ready to meet real-world challenges — and support future growth.

“It’s exciting to think about what this will bring to the Sioux Falls area,” Miritello said. “It allows companies like ours to plan for continued growth and invest in the future of the trades.”

And for the community, it’s a shared success story.

“The campaign exceeding its goals shows that this community believes strongly in the need for skilled graduates,” Loudenback said. “And that Southeast Tech has a strategy to meet those needs.”

Through the support of committed partners like DGR Engineering, Grand Prairie Foods and Marmen Energy, Southeast Tech continues to deliver on its promise: empowering students, strengthening industries and creating opportunity that reaches far beyond the classroom.