Moorhead Area Public Schools announced on Friday, March 3, that Dakota Supply Group will sponsor the Distribution, Manufacturing, and Transportation Pathway at the Moorhead High School Career Academy. The sponsorship will be made over a series of 10 years and will help to establish and operate this pathway – a critical component to continue to introduce future talent to both the distribution industry and the trades.
“DSG is honored to play a role in the development of students exploring incredible career opportunities in wholesale distribution, manufacturing, transportation, the skilled trades, and more,” said Paul Kennedy, DSG President and CEO. “Our continued investment in the communities our employee owners serve will help build the future of our region and the way we approach education and talent development.”
The MHS Career Academy is changing the way students approach high school. Based on industry and professional standards, the program offers unparalleled experiential learning about careers and self. Partnerships with DSG and other regional businesses provide students with applied learning experiences that ready them for career and/or college. Students discover their passions, explore their options, work toward industry certifications and gain real work skills. This programming encompasses all Moorhead students in grades 9-12 whether at the high school or career academy.
“We are delighted by this generous gift in support of Moorhead Area Public Schools. It is exciting to start an innovative model for public-private partnerships and the future of our workforce,” said Superintendent Brandon Lunak. “Philanthropic support from the business community extends our reach for forward thinking school programming and aligns future talent pools with business need.”
DSG is a 100% employee-owned people-centric, customer-obsessed and growth-focused
wholesale distributor. DSG is nearly 1,000 employee owners over 52 branches and 7 regions. DSG is one of the most diversified suppliers in the upper Midwest, with expertise in electrical, HVAC, plumbing, waterworks, utility, communications and more.
The donation by DSG is the second career pathway sponsorship for the MHS Career Academy. Sanford is the sponsor of the Health and Human Potential pathway. Four additional pathways await sponsorship and fundraising is ongoing through the Moorhead Legacy Foundation.
“Community and business partnerships help meet our regional workforce needs. This investment yields one of the best returns imaginable—a new generation of creative, capable and collaborative future leaders who are prepared to succeed in the changing workforce,” said Tom Dryburgh, community outreach coordinator for the career academy. “It takes the support of the entire community. We are thankful that regional businesses like DSG are willing to make investments to support, encourage and mentor students.”