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Watched a video last evening of a panel discussion put on by the Sioux Falls Argus leader/USA Today in Sioux Falls. It was informative. But I was struck by the lack of attention paid to the Western 2/3 of the state. Everything (except for the comments re agriculture) revolved around the Eastern cities/ schools.
Well first of all the Argus is a Sioux Falls newspaper so it will focus on that area of the state. But also 80% of the population and business is found in the eastern 1/3 of SD. Have you driven through the western 2/3? There is nothing there as far as commerce except for agriculture and tourism. What the western part of the state has is incredible landscapes, awesome vistas and plenty of sunshine. One of the best places in the world in my opinion. Just really hard to make a living unfortunately.
I've got a team that's working on a new kind of machinery. If we can get our proof of concept to work, we've been promised funding, and by the end of our Phase I we'd be looking to start manufacturing and move it out of the machine shops here. I grew up in SD, and think it would be a good place to manufacture in, but there's truly a concern of would I get enough of the right people in some of the smaller towns. If we scale, and I think we can with funding, we'd be a great jobs creator that pulls money into the state.
Tried reaching out to SDSU, but didn't get a response, which is fine, but a bit disappointing and underlining my concern. I suppose I'm trying to have it both ways. The enthusiasm for innovation of Silicon Valley with the calm discipline of getting things done according to policy that exists in South Dakota. Time will tell I suppose.
You might look into coordinating with one or more of the technical schools in South Dakota. SD has a program in which some excellent students get a free ride to technical schools if they promise to stay to work in SD for a certain number of years. The scholarships are called "Build Dakota Scholarships", and seem like a really excellent program. The technical schools partner with various manufacturers and other businesses regarding these students. Here's the info: https://www.builddakotascholarships.com/about
You might look into coordinating with one or more of the technical schools in South Dakota. SD has a program in which some excellent students get a free ride to technical schools if they promise to stay to work in SD for a certain number of years. The scholarships are called "Build Dakota Scholarships", and seem like a really excellent program. The technical schools partner with various manufacturers and other businesses regarding these students. Here's the info: https://www.builddakotascholarships.com/about
Are there technical jobs in South Dakota? If there are plenty of jobs, many people will be more than willing to relocate to South Dakota.
You might look into coordinating with one or more of the technical schools in South Dakota. SD has a program in which some excellent students get a free ride to technical schools if they promise to stay to work in SD for a certain number of years. The scholarships are called "Build Dakota Scholarships", and seem like a really excellent program. The technical schools partner with various manufacturers and other businesses regarding these students. Here's the info: https://www.builddakotascholarships.com/about
Thanks for the link. It looks like a great program for ongoing recruitment, though probably not what I'd need on the start-up side. I was hoping to reach out for some specific electrical/mechanical engineering work (I'd keep software/app development in CA) that I didn't think would be too hard and then work with the students for designing out the BOM/work instructions/factory layout.
Out here, the schools will generally help setup incubator space and help with research in return for a partnership that hires its graduates and takes its interns, and eventually funds more research. With half the country's direct investment flowing into Silicon Valley, funding is a bit easier as well. The banks and investors are a bit more liberal in their risk assessments. This all attracts the best engineers in those respective categories, as well as startup ventures.
Of course, all of that money flowing in causes massive inflation and while the techies can live very well, the quality and quantity of leaches that have no business holding a job grows incredibly too. Tech, biotech, Defense and now Auto leach the best talent, leaving a talent pool that's incredibly thin for normal manufacturing and very prone to cronyism. If a talented engineer is willing to work manufacturing as an employee, generally at some point you're going to also be hiring a couple of their worthless cousins or they'll go someplace that will. City hall can delay work tremendously without a good relationship. Even something as simple as the Pizza Hut in my wife's plaza had to delay their opening by 7 months on city demands. One factory still houses a barely living tree infested with termites because they can't get a permit to cut it down. The city gives opportunities, sure, but it's a scary unknown.
Unknowns are what I want to avoid. I can bring my own funding, try to augment it with some of the state loan programs, but I haven't lived in SD for a long time. That active partner with a university would be the best.
Speaking of, I should get back to work. Maybe the School of Mines will be a bit more receptive.
Hmmm. Well, USD has the "GEAR" center in Sioux Falls. Stands for Graduate Education and Applied Research Center, and sounds something like you were talking about. Looks like the current specialties are Biomedical Engineering and Development of Light Activated Materials, but you never know what other directions applied research can take. Here's the link: Graduate Education & Applied Research Center | USD
Of course, the School of Mines is an excellent University and may also have what you seek.
Thanks for the link. It looks like a great program for ongoing recruitment, though probably not what I'd need on the start-up side. I was hoping to reach out for some specific electrical/mechanical engineering work (I'd keep software/app development in CA) that I didn't think would be too hard and then work with the students for designing out the BOM/work instructions/factory layout.
Out here, the schools will generally help setup incubator space and help with research in return for a partnership that hires its graduates and takes its interns, and eventually funds more research. With half the country's direct investment flowing into Silicon Valley, funding is a bit easier as well. The banks and investors are a bit more liberal in their risk assessments. This all attracts the best engineers in those respective categories, as well as startup ventures.
Of course, all of that money flowing in causes massive inflation and while the techies can live very well, the quality and quantity of leaches that have no business holding a job grows incredibly too. Tech, biotech, Defense and now Auto leach the best talent, leaving a talent pool that's incredibly thin for normal manufacturing and very prone to cronyism. If a talented engineer is willing to work manufacturing as an employee, generally at some point you're going to also be hiring a couple of their worthless cousins or they'll go someplace that will. City hall can delay work tremendously without a good relationship. Even something as simple as the Pizza Hut in my wife's plaza had to delay their opening by 7 months on city demands. One factory still houses a barely living tree infested with termites because they can't get a permit to cut it down. The city gives opportunities, sure, but it's a scary unknown.
Unknowns are what I want to avoid. I can bring my own funding, try to augment it with some of the state loan programs, but I haven't lived in SD for a long time. That active partner with a university would be the best.
Speaking of, I should get back to work. Maybe the School of Mines will be a bit more receptive.
You should definitely check with the School of Mines. They are always pushing economic development. There is a business development center (incubator) on campus that houses and supports tech start up companies. Rapid City has a real problem with losing graduates because there aren't jobs for them.
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A jr college or vocational school will bring you a lot closer to the results you need to scale up manufacturing and business development, especially in ag products.
The big boys are not skilled or interested in reality
YMMV, But that has been my experience in tooling up manufacturing during the last 30 yrs of USA decline in such.
Find me someone who can read a tape measure, cut raw materials without waste, and run CNC equipment unattended, and I will be impressed... 30 yrs ago, we had millions in USA who could do this. Today... we are importing them under special work visas... Hint... They prefer to work metric.... You should too!
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we are importing them under special work visas... Hint... They prefer to work metric.... You should too!
