Workforce
People are the Sioux Falls area´s greatest asset. Creating new jobs and securing a skilled workforce remains one of the top priorities in the Forward Sioux Falls 2026 plan. Sioux Falls’ labor force is 150,000 and growing by the day because of the impressive array of opportunities within our diverse economy.
Housing Fund
A new initiative in our 2026 plan is to create a fund to provide resources to address our accessible housing needs for our growing workforce. To do this, we will partner with the City of Sioux Falls, Sioux Empire Housing Partnership (SEHP), US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and others.
External Talent Recruitment
Young Professionals Network
Funding a program like the Young Professionals Network helps create the next leaders in Sioux Falls.
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Talent Draft
The Talent Draft is an event that provides a place for companies and current students and graduates of Trade & Technical Schools within a 150-mile radius of Sioux Falls to connect.
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Talent Tours
Talent Tours are events that provide a place for companies and current students and graduates of community colleges and four-year institutions within a 150-mile radius of Sioux Falls to connect.
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Talent Rebound
Talent Rebound events provide a place for companies and alumni of all higher-ed institutions within a 150-mile radius of Sioux Falls to connect.
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Electronic Recruitment
We continue to work with local schools to bring in select graduates and recruits for identified key workforce needs including bio science, cyber/intel, advanced manufacturing, logistics, distribution and technical trades and direct them to the right companies.
Learn MoreCareer Connections
We continue to partner with local businesses from a variety of industry sectors. Career Connections provides high-potential at-risk high school juniors and seniors with a career exploration and mentorship opportunity and financial assistance for concurrent dual-credit course work to help them begin their post-secondary education and career journey.
Your Future STEM/IT
Target regional middle & high schools for career exploration in STEM and IT.
Additional Workforce Enhancement
We fund programs that help overlooked workers find jobs in the community. Because a united community is a better community.
Second Chance Job Fairs
We work with the Department of Corrections to re-employ offenders.
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Disability Fair
We are continuing to work with local providers to employ and re-employ people with disabilities.
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REACH
We support the expansion of the workplace literacy program.
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“For more than four decades, Forward Sioux Falls has been the foundation on which the unprecedented success of our community has been built. Public, private, large and small businesses, as well as individuals have come together to promote and grow the qualities of Sioux Falls.”
Dana Dykhouse
CEO, First PREMIER Bank
Business Partnerships
Workforce development is a team game, so Forward Sioux Falls continues to prioritize events, programs and other initiatives that encourage businesses to work together to train the current workforce and develop the future workforce.
Recruitment Council/ WIN Summit
Quarterly Recruitment Councils is one of the ways that we encourage the sharing of best practice between businesses in Sioux Falls. The WIN summit is a symposium in which industry leaders, innovative educators, and business professionals from the upper Midwest region gather to talk about employment trends, growth strategies and more.
WIN Engagement Platform
The WIN engagement platform is newly developed platform that allows local employers to monitor best practices, engage in virtual dialogue and keep up to date on new and creative HR practices.
Sioux Falls THRIVE
We understand the importance of preparing the future workforce, so we are furthering the “cradle to career” initiative in Sioux Falls through Thrive. Thrive uses a collective impact model with an objective to reduce the number of school-age children who are homeless and left unsupervised during out-of-school time hours, as well as to provide greater access to food resources.
Health Sciences Clinical Simulation Center
Forward Sioux Falls was instrumental in the creation of the Health Sciences Clinical Simulation Center on the campus of Southeast Technical College, which will expand the available workforce for health sciences in the region. Located at the former Zeal Center building, the Simulation Center will provide hands-on training for nurses, sonographers, surgical techs, paramedics and lab techs. The expected operational date for the facility is fall 2024.
