Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Report: Tech schools pivotal to Sioux Falls' future

By Patrick Anderson
Argus Leader



Jeff Moffatt wanted to learn skills he could use in the family business.

But it only took a few classes at Southeast Tech for the 25-year-old Watertown native to learn about job opportunities that might go beyond Moffatt Products, his dad's company and a maker of the sort of flexible arms used in lamps.

Moffatt thinks a two-year degree in computer-aided drafting will net him a bigger salary than a degree in engineering.

"There's just a higher demand right now," he said with a smile and a head shake. "It's super cheap for a two-year degree."

Providing for Sioux Falls' future job growth means attracting and educating more people like Moffatt, who are interested in careers that don't require a four-year degree, according to a company hired to study the city's workforce needs.

A representative for Market Street Services presented findings Wednesday at the University Center in Sioux Falls for a crowd of business leaders and educators.



To read the full story, please click here, or if the story has been removed, contact Alexia Eanes for more information.