Build Dakota & Stretch-the-Million Partner Program
The Stretch-the-Million (STM) initiative allows industry partners to invest in South Dakota’s future workforce through the Build Dakota Scholarship program. By partnering with 糖心传媒, businesses can help students gain a full-ride education 鈥 while securing skilled talent for their industry.
How It Works
- The STM Partner (aka the company) pays half of the student’s full-ride scholarship, which includes tuition, fees, books, laptops, tools, and other items required by the program.
- The student commits to:
- Complete a qualifying program at Lake Area Tech
- Work full-time for the STM Partner (aka company) in the approved field for at least 3 years within South Dakota.
It’s a shared investment with long-term returns 鈥 for students, businesses and the state.
Student Benefits
- 100% tuition-free education
- Guaranteed employment after graduation
- Potential for on-the-job training during their program
Business Benefits
- Upskill current employees or sponsor new talent
- Secure a pipeline of job-ready graduates from Lake Area Tech
- Gain a committed, skilled employee for minimum of three years
- Receive promotional exposure on Build Dakota and Lake Area Tech websites
Impact on South Dakota
- Fills critical workforce gaps in high-need industries
- Keeps skilled professionals living and working in South Dakota
- Fuels the growth of local businesses and communities
Become an STM Partner
Contact us to learn more about how your business can participate: Foundation@lakeareatech.edu
Brittany Rost, Foundation Scholarship Coordinator
605-882-5284 Ext. 292
Melissa Waldner, Business Partner Specialist
1-605-882-5284 Ext. 263
Jessi Eidson, Development & Alumni Coordinator
605-882-5284 Ext. 308
Tracy (Hlavacek) Buisker, Foundation Director
605-882-5284 Ext. 268
Resources & Tips
Build Dakota/STM Partners
Fousek Truck Service – Gettysburg, SD
Jaeger Farms – Highmore, SD
New Horizons Construction – White, SD
Ronglien Excavating Inc. – Big Stone City, SD
Stewart Construction – Watertown, SD
Tracy’s Paint & Body Inc. – Parkston, SD
Additional Companies Interested in Partnering with Cohort 12/Fall 2026
| Stretch-the-Million Partner | Location | Program Interest |
| 3M | Aberdeen | Automotive Technology Diesel Technology Precision Machining |
| Aberdeen Chrysler | Aberdeen | Automotive Technology Diesel Technology |
| Aberdeen Fire Rescue | Aberdeen | Med/Fire Rescue |
| Aberdeen Smiles | Aberdeen | Dental Assisting Dental Hygiene |
| AGC of South Dakota | Sioux Falls | Heavy Equipment Operator |
| Agropur | Lake Norden | Energy Operations |
| Agtegra Cooperative | Aberdeen | Agriculture: Precision Technology Agriculture: Production |
| Anderson Contractors, Inc. | Pierre | Building Trades Technology Diesel Technology Heavy Equipment Operator |
| Asphalt Surfacing Company | Sioux Falls | Heavy Equipment Operator |
| Avantara Clark | Clark | Practical Nursing Registered Nursing |
| Avantara Lake Norden | Lake Norden | Practical Nursing Registered Nursing |
| Avantara Redfield | Redfield | Practical Nursing Registered Nursing |
| Applied Engineering | Yankton | Auto Body & Paint Technology Precision Machining |
| Avera Health | Sioux Falls | Med/Fire Rescue Med/Fire Rescue: Paramedic Option Medical Assisting Practical Nursing Registered Nursing Surgical Technology |
| B&B Contracting, Inc. | Aberdeen | Diesel Technology Heavy Equipment Operator |
| Bethesda Home of Aberdeen | Aberdeen | Practical Nursing Registered Nursing |
| Beyond Dentistry | Watertown | Dental Assisting Dental Hygiene |
| Bjordahl Dental Care | Lead | Diesel Technology Precision Machining Welding Technology |
| Brookings Health System | Brookings | Medical Laboratory Technician Practical Nursing Registered Nursing Surgical Technology |
| Burdick Bros Inc. | Redfield | Precision Machining Welding Technology |
| CHS Farmers Alliance | Mitchell | Agriculture Precision Technology Agriculture Production |
| CHS Rivers Plains | Gettysburg | Agriculture Precision Technology Agriculture Production |
| Coeur Wharf | 听 | 听 |
| Coffee Cup Travel Plaza TA Express / H&H Enterprises | Summit | Diesel Technology |
| Community Memorial Hospital | Burke | Registered Nursing |
| Cornerstone Industries | Wall | Building Trades Technology |
| Coteau des Prairies Health Care System | Sisseton | Computer Information Systems Medical Lab Technician Practical Nursing Registered Nursing |
| CJ Schwan’s | Sioux Falls | Electronic Systems Technology Energy Technology Robotics |
| Dakota Automation | Watertown | Energy Technology Precision Technology Robotics |
| Dakota Family Dentistry | Huron | Dental Hygiene |
| Dakotaland Manufacturing | Watertown | Precision Machining Robotics Welding Technology |
| Daktronics | Brookings | Electronic Systems Technology Energy Technology Precision Technology |
| Dakota Bodies | Watertown | Auto Body & Paint Technology Welding Technology |
| Dakota Granite | Milbank | Diesel Technology Electronic Systems Technology Energy Operations Heavy Equipment Operator |
| Dental Care Center | Mitchell | Dental Assisting Dental Hygiene |
| Diesel Machinery Inc. (DMI) | Sioux Falls | Diesel Technology |
| Duininck Inc. | Watertown | Diesel Technology Heavy Equipment Operator |
| Dynamic Engineering | Watertown | Precision Machining |
| East River Contracting | Watertown | Building Trades Technology |
| ESCO Mfg. | Watertown | Welding Technology |
| Embrace Dentistry | Watertown | Dental Assisting Dental Hygiene |
| Farmers Implement & Irrigation | Brookings Watertown |
Diesel Technology Welding Technology |
| Faulkton Area Medical Center | Faulkton | Medical Lab Technician |
| Fiegen Construction | Sioux Falls | Building Trades Technology Welding Technology |
| First Rate Excavate | Sioux Falls | Heavy Equipment Operator |
| GCC | Watertown | Diesel Technology Energy Technology |
| General Equipment & Supplies, Inc. | Sioux Falls | Diesel Technology |
| Graco Inc. | Sioux Falls | Precision Machining |
| Gray Construction Company | Watertown | Building Trades Technology |
| Great Plains Dental | Sioux Falls | Dental Assisting Dental Hygiene |
| Greg Johnson Construction, Inc. | Bristol | Building Trades Technology |
| Horizon Health | Various | Dental Assisting Dental Hygiene |
| Horton, Inc. | Britton | Precision Machining |
| Huron Regional Medical Center | Huron | Medical Laboratory Technician Practical Nursing Registered Nursing Surgical Technology |
| Jack Link’s | Alpena | Robotics Welding Technology |
| Journey Group Companies | Sioux Falls | Building Trades Technology Diesel Technology Heavy Equipment Operator |
| Kore Cares In Home Services | Chamberlain | Practical Nursing |
| L.G. Everist, Inc. | Dell Rapids | Heavy Equipment Operator Welding Technology |
| Lien Transportation | Aberdeen | Heavy Equipment Operator |
| Loiseau Construction | Flandreau | Diesel Technology Heavy Equipment Operator Welding Technology |
| Madison Regional Health System | Madison | Med/Fire Rescue-Paramedic Option Medical Assisting Medical Laboratory Technician Practical Nursing Registered Nursing |
| Malloy Electric | Sioux Falls | Energy Operations Energy Technology Precision Machining |
| MASABA, Inc. | Vermillion | Welding Technology |
| Mills Construction | Brookings | Building Trades Technology |
| Mobridge Regional Hospital | Mobridge | Med/Fire Rescue-Paramedic Option Medical Assisting Medical Laboratory Technician Practical Nursing Registered Nursing Surgical Technology |
| Monument Health | Rapid City | Medical Laboratory Technician Practical Nursing Registered Nursing Surgical Technology |
| Muth Electric, Inc. | Mitchell | Robotics |
| Overweg Repair | Kimball | Automotive Technology Diesel Technology |
| Philip Health Services, Inc. | Philip | Medical Lab Technician Practical Nursing Registered Nursing |
| Pierre Dental Clinic | Pierre | Dental Assisting Dental Hygiene |
| Poet Biorefining – Big Stone | Big Stone City | Energy Operations Energy Technology |
| Prairie Heights Healthcare | Aberdeen | Practical Nursing Registered Nursing |
| Prairie Lakes Healthcare System | Watertown | Practical Nursing Registered Nursing Surgical Technology |
| Quality Tool | Brookings | Precision Machining |
| Ramsdell F&M Ltd | Flandreau | Agriculture: Agri-Production |
| Rapid Precision Manufacturing, Inc. | Britton | Precision Machining Robotics |
| RDO Equipment Co. | Various | Agriculture (Precision Technology) Diesel Technology |
| Sanford / Good Samaritan Society | Sioux Falls | Medical Assisting Medical Laboratory Technician Practical Nursing Registered Nursing Surgical Technology |
| Scull Construction Service Inc. | Rapid City | Building Trades Technology Diesel Technology |
| Showplace Cabinetry | Harrisburg | Robotics |
| Site Work Specialist Inc. | Rapid City | Diesel Technology Heavy Equipment Operator |
| Smith Equipment / Miller Electric Mfg. | Watertown | Precision Machining |
| South Dakota Renewable Energy Association | Sioux Falls | Energy Operations Energy Technology |
| Stan Houston Equipment | Aberdeen Sioux Falls Watertown |
Automotive Technology Diesel Technology |
| Stan’s Inc. | Alpena | Computer Information Systems Diesel Technology |
| Stemper Auto Body | Madison | Auto Body & Paint Technology |
| Stewart Construction Inc. | Watertown | Building Trades Technology |
| StoneyBrook Suites | Brookings | Building Trades Technology |
| Summit Contracting | Platte | Building Trades Technology |
| Terex Utilities | Watertown | Auto Body & Paint Technology Automotive Technology Welding Technology |
| Titan Machinery | Statewide | Diesel Technology |
| Twin City Die Castings Company | Watertown | Robotics |
| Twin City Fan Companies | Aberdeen, Brookings | Welding Technology |
| Valley Queen Cheese | Milbank | Energy Operations Energy Technology Robotics |
| Vander Haag鈥檚 Inc. | Sioux Falls | Diesel Technology (Truck) Welding Technology |
| Vermeer | Freeman | Welding Technology |
| Wagner Community Memorial Hospital – Avera | Wagner | Practical Nursing Registered Nursing |
| Webster Scale Inc. | Webster | Diesel Technology Heavy Equipment Operator |
| Zomer Truck & Trailer Sales | Sioux Falls | Diesel Technology |
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