South Dakota
Mines is smallest of the state’s public universities by student headcount, but
Mines repeatedly hosts some of the biggest career fairs that include employers
ranging from local engineering start-ups to Fortune 500 companies.
This past fall, 177 employers and vendors attended
Mines in-person and virtual career fairs. The long list of impressive employers
in regular attendance includes 3M, Caterpillar, Cargill, Freeport-McMoRan,
Garmin, Kiewit, Nucor, RESPEC, Daktronics, VRC Metal Systems, Raven, and POET,
to name just a few. Mines also has alumni at major high-tech companies and
organizations that are household names, such as NASA, SpaceX, Microsoft, Google,
and many others. Employers rave about Mines graduates; see this video to hear more from them.
Mines students benefit greatly from the career fairs.
A total of 79% of the 2020 graduates accepted offers with a company that recruited
them on campus. Mines students also benefit from internships offered by
employers at these fairs; 77% completing a paid internship or co-op with a
company related to their field of study and 100% of the students who undertook internships
in 2020 landed full-time employment after graduation, earning a starting salary
24% higher than those who did not complete an internship.
It’s true that the reputation of South Dakota Mines gives
students amazing options when they finish school. It’s also true that over the
decades, an increasing number of Mines graduates are able to choose to stay in
the state and work for the growing high-tech industry. This year, 45 South
Dakota companies attended the career fairs with 18 from the Black Hills
area.
Mines is also actively working to expand
opportunities for students to stay in the state after they graduate. The
university contributes to job growth in the state’s high-tech industry in three
major ways:
Research that Spawns
Spinoffs
University research ties directly to local economic
development and Mines is a powerhouse of innovation in South Dakota. In 2021,
Mines faculty filed more invention disclosures than any other state university.
Mines researchers have landed more than $63 million in research funding over
the past four years from organizations like the Department of Defense and the
National Science Foundation. Mines has a track record of turning research on
campus into local start-up companies like VRC Metal Systems, Nanopareil and
Endlas, which in turn are creating local high-paying jobs.
Mines Alumni Lead the Way
Mines alumni are also key players in driving
high-tech economic development in the state. The university boasts a long list
of South Dakota based companies started by alumni like Daktronics, C-Lock,
DARCEO, Phase Technologies, Property Meld, RESPEC, RPM & Associates, VRC
Metal Systems, and many more. These alumni-started businesses have created
hundreds of high-paying science and engineering jobs in the state. The
university’s Office of
Industry Engagement also works closely with Elevate Rapid City to
continue to recruit new employers to the area. Finally, the university taps the
incredible potential of its alumni base with the Entrepreneur
in Residence Program that pairs seasoned STEM professionals with
emerging businesses and start-ups.
Major Companies in South
Dakota Rely on Mines’ Talent Pipeline
Mines is also key in supporting the growth of major
companies that choose to locate in the state. The university works closely with
Ascent Innovation to support employers need for a talent pipeline of
well-trained scientists and engineers. Mines graduates provide the backbone of
talent for a range of companies with South Dakota offices such as AEsir,
B9Creations,
Banner Associates, Black Hills Info Sec., Caterpillar, IMP, POET, Raven, Vishay,
and many more. These companies all regularly recruit at Mines career fairs, and
their combined economic impact on the state is measured in the millions.