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Hot Career
Hot Career = High-Demand, Great-Paying Occupation
The South Dakota Department of Labor (DOL) annually produces a list of the Top 30 Hot Careers in South Dakota, which was recently updated in July 2024. The S.D. DOL defines hot careers as those in high demand and with high wages.
Spring Semester Courses Start Jan. 13, 2025!
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WDTC Can Help You Pave Your Path to a Hot Career
At Western Dakota Technical College (WDTC) we offer almost 40 diverse career programs to help prepare you for the career of your choice. We offer programs for almost every occupation on the S.D. Department of Labor Top 30 Hot Careers in South Dakota list! Our career programs have high employment needs and can lead to great-paying careers in two years or less!
Did you know that WDTC’s placement rate is 99%!* Our college prepares individuals to fill employment needs in the region, now and into the future, and make a good living.
*Ninety-nine percent of Western Dakota Tech's most recent graduates are working, continuing their education, or are enlisted in the military, per the WDTC 2023 Placement Report. There were 353 respondents out of 399 graduates surveyed. [*Placement information is derived from graduate surveys, faculty-collected data, placement surveys started six months after graduation, and the South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation. Overall placement rate is figured by: (responding graduates employed, continuing education, or in military service)/(responding graduates who are seeking employment). The number of program graduates are unduplicated by CIP code.]
Take the First Step on Your Path to a Hot Career
- Check out our career programs, including those listed below and on the July 2024 S.D. Department of Labor Top 30 Hot Careers in South Dakota list. On the Department of Labor page, you will be able to see job availability and the average wage for the Hot Career.
- Next, call Admissions at (605) 718-2565 or email Admissions@wdt.edu, so we can provide more information, arrange a tour, help you apply so you can start on your path to a Hot Career.
- You can also apply directly at wdt.edu/apply. Applying to attend Western Dakota Technical College is always free!
Paying for College
Attending college at Western Dakota Technical College is affordable. Financial aid and scholarships, including full-ride Build Dakota Scholarships, are available at Western Dakota Technical College. If you have any questions or would like more information, call the Financial Aid office at (605) 718-2988 or email finaid@wdt.edu. For scholarship information, email Scholarships@wdt.edu.
| Western Dakota Technical College Programs (Programs in correlation to the S.D. DOL Top 30 Hot Career listing.) |
S.D. Top 30 Department of Labor Hot Career Listing |
| Accounting | Accountants and Auditors |
| Automotive Technology | Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics |
| Business - Hospitality | Food Service Managers |
| Business Office Professional; Business & Technology | Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products; First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers; General and Operations Managers; Insurance Sales Agents; and Parts Salespersons |
| Construction Technology | Carpenters; First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades & Extraction Workers; Maintenance and Repair Workers, General |
| Electrical Trades | Electricians; Maintenance and Repair Workers, General |
| Farm and Ranch Management | Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers |
| Plumbing Technology | Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters; Maintenance and Repair Workers, General |
| Practical Nursing | Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses |
| Professional Truck Driving | Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers; Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators |
| Registered Nursing | Registered Nurses |
| Welding and Fabrication | Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers |
