Students discover passions they never knew existed. “If they have a passion for doing something and you can marry that to their work, it doesn’t even feel like work anymore,” Dr. Karch observes. “I hear that from a lot of students. They didn’t know that this existed, and they get excited to come to school every single day.” The enthusiasm translates into tangible results. NDSCS graduates in transportation, HVAC, plumbing, and electrical fields often are approached with multiple job offers before completing their programs. Employers recognize that technical expertise combined with problem-solving abilities creates workers ready for tomorrow’s challenges. INDUSTRY-DRIVEN EDUCATION Corporate logos line the hallways at NDSCS, but these aren’t mere sponsorships. John Deere, Caterpillar, Komatsu, and Case IH maintain deep partnerships that blur the lines between classroom and workplace. Students learn on the same equipment they’ll operate after graduation, trained by instructors who stay current through industry connections. “We have partnered with business and industry,” says Terry Marohl, Associate Dean of Transportation.“We have some standalone industry programs. We work very closely with the dealers. Business and industry partners provide training so that the students are really cutting edge.”The partnerships aren’t just about equipment. “There’s a student-dealer relationship where students, upon completion of their schooling, are not looking for work. They already have a job when they start.” This model repeats across departments. HVAC, plumbing, and electrical programs follow similar patterns, with industry partners shaping curriculum through advisory boards. “We have advisory boards with all of our CTE programs,” Dr. Karch explains. “Business and industry partners will loan us equipment to make sure our students are working on the latest, greatest technology out there.” The 97% job placement rate validates this approach. “Graduation is on Friday. On Monday, all of our 57 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 07 NORTH DAKOTA STATE COLLEGE OF SCIENCE
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