UPDATE APRIL 2025: Due to federal funding cuts, this program was discontinued and will no longer be held this summer.
PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota’s rising 7th and 8th-grade students are invited to participate in the Our Dakota Dreams Career Exploration Camps. These free, five-day career exploration camps are in their fourth year, following the tremendous success of the previous three summers. The camps are a collaborative effort of the South Dakota Board of Regents, South Dakota Department of Education, and South Dakota Technical Colleges.
"We're thrilled to keep the momentum going with our camps and our wonderful partnership with the Department of Education and South Dakota's technical colleges for a fourth year," said Nathan Lukkes, the Executive Director of the South Dakota Board of Regents. "Our goal is to highlight different career paths for middle school students in our state and show them all the amazing opportunities available right here in South Dakota."
Hosted on South Dakota college campuses, these camps feature various careers through fun, engaging, and hands-on learning. Throughout the week, campers will spend time on university and technical college campuses and visit area businesses to see careers in action. By the end of camp, students will better understand themselves, their career interests, and how their education prepares them for future professions.
“These camps represent grassroots workforce development,” said South Dakota Secretary of Education Joe Graves. “Students learn about potential careers and programming available at South Dakota’s public universities and technical colleges. Those institutions build relationships with potential students, and employers have a platform to share career opportunities.”
The career exploration summer camps are provided at no expense to students in South Dakota. To learn more about what to expect or how to apply, visit ourdakotadreams.com.
2025 Career Camps Dates and Locations:
June 15-19, 2025 | University of South Dakota + Southeast Technical College
July 6-10, 2025 | Black Hills State University + South Dakota Mines + Western Dakota Technical College
July 13-17, 2025 | Black Hills State University + South Dakota Mines + Western Dakota Technical College
July 13-17, 2025 | Dakota State University + Mitchell Technical College
July 13-17, 2025 | Northern State University + Lake Area Technical College
July 13-17, 2025 | South Dakota State University + Lake Area Technical College
