WIN | Sioux Falls Development Foundation

Technology Articles

Executive profile: Midco chief technology officer Jonathan Pederson

As chief technology officer at Midco, Jon Pederson’s role is a diverse one.

He manages a team of 65 people, taking care of core customer-facing technology: Internet, video service, phone service and business services.

He also represents the Sioux Falls-based company at the highest levels of its industry, assisting with industry relations at a national level.

This month, he marks 34 years with the company – the result of a career that started with a job during college that led him down an unexpected path.

High school students immerse in IT with unique summer academy

Sioux Falls-area high school students got an early look this summer at what careers in the information technology field could look like, thanks to a unique program with a lot of partners.

The IT Academy was funded by a federal EPSCoR grant, which is through the National Science Foundation and stands for the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research.

For about six weeks, high school students attended class for three hours daily Monday through Thursday in Sioux Falls or Madison, as Dakota State Unviersity instructors taught computer science.

In the afternoon, the students went to paid internships throughout the community and even statewide, where they learned about career opportunities and got to contribute work to their employers.

Road to 2026: Best career advice for talent today and tomorrow

People are always asking for my advice on the best careers for their family members. While there’s no magic bullet when it comes to workforce, there’s one thing we know for certain: South Dakota and the rest of America will continue to experience change. Change comes in many different forms for workforce; there are social, economic, environmental, scientific and technological changes because of innovation. While there’s no crystal ball, we do know that areas related to science, engineering, mathematics and technology continue to turn innovative ideas into reality for job-seekers.

What is WIN?

WIN in Workforce Group is values-based community effort whose mission is to champion career transformation within the workforce. Our goal is to exchange best practices within our cradle to career initiatives for the betterment of all.