Automotive technologies continue to advance, and the South Dakota Department of Labor has cited automotive service technicians and mechanics as one of the Hot 30 Careers in the state’s next ten years. In response, the Harrisburg School District launched its automotive technology learning pathway in January 2021. Working with industry partners like Schulte Subaru, J&M Transmission, and Southeast Technical College, the district has been able to tailor our automotive curriculum to meet the needs of local businesses by ensuring that the programming we are offering aligns with industry standards and expectations while also exposing our learners to professional resources and instruction in our new state-of-the-art automotive shop, the Tiger Stripes Garage. Students currently have the opportunity to participate in both introductory and advanced-level coursework that will prepare them for a career in the field, or enroll in a basic car maintenance course that will train them to care for and maintain their personal vehicle. The district plans to expand these offerings to allow students to study specialized areas, such as engine repair and performance, brakes, and diesel technology, toward an ASE certification.

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In response to recent state initiatives regarding the preparation of learners in career and technical education, Harrisburg will continue to provide course offerings and learner programming in twelve career and technical education clusters: Agriculture, Food, & Natural Resources; Arts, A/V, Technology, & Communication; Business, Management, & Administration; Education & Training; Finance; Health Science; Hospitality and Tourism; Human Services; Information Technology; Manufacturing; Marketing; and STEM. This includes courses in biomedical science, building trades, culinary, computer science, human services, agriculture, and Audio/Visual courses at the high school, as well as engineering and computer programming courses at the middle school. New to the 2019-2020 course catalog was the addition of the Architecture and Construction career cluster, the district’s thirteenth overall. The goal of this career cluster is to expand infrastructure and skills-development opportunities that will support the fulfillment of high-need workforce areas within the region and state, focusing primarily on the building trades. This includes construction management, HVAC, Plumbing, and Electrical, among others.

Through a collaboration with the Homebuilders Association of the Sioux Empire, Southeast Technical College, and Affordable Housing Solutions, as well as support from other major industry and community partners, the Harrisburg School District has begun to provide access to expert instruction, industry-grade building equipment, and tools, and a multi-phase program that begins with the construction of homes within the new facility at Harrisburg High School and ends with both on- and off-site training experiences in specialty trades, such as plumbing, electrical, HVAC, and drywall. Learners from Harrisburg and other neighboring school districts have the opportunity to develop highly qualified skillsets by working alongside industry experts, earn construction certification credentials through Southeast Technical College, and ultimately enter the workforce and post-secondary training programs tied to the building trades. They also gain a sense of pride and community service as they construct affordable housing that will be relocated and finished within the Harrisburg and Sioux Falls communities.

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