Workforce Development Can Be Part of Your Growth Strategy

For companies looking for a place to relocate, expand, and grow, workforce development can make or break the decision.

But what if you could start building those relationships before you need to hire? So workforce planning, development, and training becomes a part of your growth strategy, rather than a scramble to hire?

That’s the idea behind several programs taking shape across Western South Dakota. 

Partnerships between CTE programs, technical colleges, and universities give our employers ways to connect with students, train current workers, share resources, and start building the workforce they’ll need before they need it. 

A Strong Workforce Starts With Strong Partnerships

Western South Dakota’s right-sized market offers something difficult to find in larger metros: meaningful opportunities to develop direct relationships with students.

“We host several job and career fairs throughout the school year. Students are regularly recruited on the spot and the employers who attend often find themselves with several highly qualified, highly motivated candidates for their open positions," said Jimi Marshall, Director of Career Development for Black Hills State University (BHSU).

BHSU also isn’t in the market of preparing students for careers somewhere else.

Economic development is baked into its Workforce Internship Program, which was developed in partnership with the Spearfish Economic Development Corporation (SEDC).

Instead of simply posting internships on a job board, the program connects student work experience with the needs of local employers.

And those employers are required to create a real position, not just miscellaneous tasks for students to do as they watch the clock tick.

The university is also very hands-on when it comes to matchmaking.

In spring 2026, when the South Dakota Attorney General’s Office expressed a need for an intern, Marshall got to work: recruiting students, helping them get their resumes and cover letters together, and coordinating interviews.

Six students were chosen for an interview. Rising senior Josie Downing got the call that she had been selected.

“Many BHSU students have had wonderful internship experiences that led to full-time employment after graduation but the businesses benefit significantly as well,” said Marshall. “Hosting an intern is like an extended interview where the employer gets a chance to work with and mentor a student to help them learn about their business and help them grow into the highly skilled and dedicated employees all businesses hope to hire.” 

Making Workforce Training Programs More Affordable for Small and Mid-Sized Manufacturers 

Instead of expecting small to mid-sized manufacturing companies to pay for and organize their own training, which can get very expensive very quickly, one Western South Dakota EDO took a different approach.

“One of the best examples has been the partnership between Elevate Rapid City and South Dakota Manufacturing & Technology Solutions (SDMTS) to provide shared training for Black Hills Manufacturing Alliance (BHMA) members at a very discounted rate, rather than asking each manufacturer to develop or pay for training independently,” said Kallie Ruland, Senior Business Development Director for Elevate Rapid City.

It ended up being the largest training cohort SDMTS had ever seen, a powerful example of what can happen when local companies pool their resources instead of trying to do everything on their own.

“Smaller manufacturers can access the same high-quality workforce development opportunities as larger companies, while employees are also learning alongside peers from other manufacturers in the region,” added Ruland.

And because the cohort worked so well, they’re doing it again. This time, by tackling another workforce challenge shared by BHMA members: sales training.

“It is a great example of how the Alliance can identify common challenges and create practical, affordable solutions that benefit manufacturers across the region,” said Ruland. 

Shifting from Emergency Hiring to Proactive Planning

“As economic developers, our role is to help build that talent pipeline before the need becomes an emergency,” said Ruland. “The goal is not simply to help a company fill an open position. It is to create a workforce ecosystem where students are exposed to manufacturing earlier, education and training programs are aligned with industry needs, and employers have a more consistent pipeline of skilled workers to support long-term growth.”

In Western South Dakota, economic development, schools and businesses are continually looking for ways to work together towards that end, rather than pursuing it as separate entities.

“BHSU partners with businesses, healthcare providers, government agencies, and other organizations to identify workforce needs and create pathways for employees to upskill, earn credentials, and qualify for leadership roles,” said Becca Walters, Senior Director of Marketing and Communications. “These partnerships benefit both employees looking to grow their careers and employers seeking to develop and retain a highly skilled workforce here in the region.”

It also leaves more room to plan for growth, rather than constantly reacting to vacancies.

“When a manufacturer knows there is a reliable pipeline of workers coming into the industry, they can spend more time focused on production, customers, investment, and expansion rather than continually trying to fill immediate workforce gaps,” said Ruland.

Whether you’re a manufacturer, a professional service firm, or a tourism-adjacent enterprise, contact Rushmore Region Economic Development Alliance today to learn more about workforce development partnerships in our region.