Valley Plains Equipment seeks students to enroll into John Deere Tech Program
Mar. 29—Editor's note: This story and accompanying photo are advertorial content in the 2025 "Moving the Community Forward" special section of The Jamestown Sun.
JAMESTOWN — Valley Plains Equipment is looking for students to enroll in its John Deere Tech Program that helps individuals become a service technician for its equipment.
Valley Plains Equipment sends students to Lake Area Technical College in Watertown, South Dakota, to go through a two-year program that emphasizes becoming a diesel mechanic and learning about John Deere equipment, said Brooke Alfson, employee resources at Valley Plains Equipment.
"So they go through a bunch of mechanical stuff, electrical, hydraulic, and they do a bunch of different stuff and learn the basics of how to operate machinery, how to remove and replace certain parts and to diagnose something that is wrong," she said.
Once students complete the program, they will get their certification as a service technician and a full-time job with Valley Plains Equipment.
"There's obviously continuing education that continues throughout your time with us because everything is always changing and evolving," Alfson said.
She said students who enroll into the John Deere Tech Program are almost guaranteed a job as a service technician once they graduate.
Individuals who want to enroll into the program will do a paid internship with Valley Plains Equipment the summer before they attend Lake Area Technical College to ensure that they enjoy what they are doing and see the work they will do as a service technician.
Once students are sent to Lake Area Technical College, Valley Plains Equipment pays for the student's tuition and tools, books and fees and provides each student with a laptop computer. Alfson said Valley Plains Equipment has an apartment complex in Watertown where students can stay and provides a $2,000 stipend per semester for housing.
"That is a huge help, obviously, when your college and tools and everything is getting paid for," she said.
Alfson said students will work at a Valley Plains Equipment dealership for two weeks each semester to apply what they learned.
She said individuals can show interest in the program as early as they want to but Valley Plains Equipment won't bring them on for the paid internship until the summer before they attend Lake Area Technical College.
"They can definitely come in earlier and do job shadows and meet the team and look around the shop and just see If that's something that they would like to do," she said.
To enroll into the program, visit your local Valley Plains Equipment dealership or go to
www.valleyplainsequipment.com/John-Deere-Tech-Program
and select "JD Tech Program" under "How to Apply" to fill out information that includes your name, phone number, what year you graduate high school and which Valley Plains Equipment location you would like to partner with.
"That gets sent directly to me, and then I will reach out from there," Alfson said.
Locations for Valley Plains Equipment include Ashley, Ellendale, Galesburg, Hillsboro, Hunter, Jamestown, LaMoure, Milnor, Napoleon and Valley City in North Dakota. Valley Plains Equipment also has locations in Britton, South Dakota, and Crookston, Minnesota.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
TD SYNNEX (SNX) Reports Q2: Everything You Need To Know Ahead Of Earnings
IT distribution giant TD SYNNEX (NYSE:SNX) will be reporting results this Tuesday before market hours. Here's what to look for. TD SYNNEX missed analysts' revenue expectations by 1.7% last quarter, reporting revenues of $14.53 billion, up 4% year on year. It was a softer quarter for the company, with a significant miss of analysts' EPS estimates. Is TD SYNNEX a buy or sell going into earnings? Read our full analysis here, it's free. This quarter, analysts are expecting TD SYNNEX's revenue to grow 2.6% year on year to $14.32 billion, improving from its flat revenue in the same quarter last year. Adjusted earnings are expected to come in at $2.75 per share. Analysts covering the company have generally reconfirmed their estimates over the last 30 days, suggesting they anticipate the business to stay the course heading into earnings. TD SYNNEX has missed Wall Street's revenue estimates five times over the last two years. Looking at TD SYNNEX's peers in the tech hardware & electronics segment, only Jabil has reported results so far. It beat analysts' revenue estimates by 11.2%, delivering year-on-year sales growth of 15.7%. The stock traded up 13.1% on the results. Read our full analysis of Jabil's earnings results here. Investors in the tech hardware & electronics segment have had fairly steady hands going into earnings, with share prices down 1.4% on average over the last month. TD SYNNEX's stock price was unchanged during the same time and is heading into earnings with an average analyst price target of $135.99 (compared to the current share price of $125.18). Today's young investors likely haven't read the timeless lessons in Gorilla Game: Picking Winners In High Technology because it was written more than 20 years ago when Microsoft and Apple were first establishing their supremacy. But if we apply the same principles, then enterprise software stocks leveraging their own generative AI capabilities may well be the Gorillas of the future. So, in that spirit, we are excited to present our Special Free Report on a profitable, fast-growing enterprise software stock that is already riding the automation wave and looking to catch the generative AI next. Sign in to access your portfolio
Hamilton Spectator
3 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Former Liberal cabinet minister John McCallum dead at 75
Colleagues, family and friends are remembering former federal cabinet minister, ambassador to China and economist John McCallum as a dedicated public servant, passionate but pragmatic economic thinker and loving family man with a sharp wit. McCallum died Saturday, his family said in a statement Sunday afternoon. He was 75. No cause of death was announced. 'With heavy hearts, we share the passing of the Honourable John McCallum. He passed away peacefully, surrounded by family,' his family said in a written statement. 'He was deeply committed to public service, and worked throughout his career to make a difference in the lives of others,' his family added. 'To us, John was simply a loving and kind family man with a witty sense of humour. We ask for privacy as we mourn this profound loss.' Ahmed Hussen, the Liberal cabinet minister who succeeded him in the immigration portfolio after Justin Trudeau named McCallum to the Beijing diplomatic post, said McCallum was a 'very classy, super decent guy, kind, warm-hearted and we're going to miss him dearly.' 'He was a bridge builder and that sums it up for me. A rare breed of politician,' Hussen added. Prime Minister Mark Carney called McCallum 'an inspiration, a mentor, and a friend,' in a post on X. 'John served Canada and academia with great distinction, helping us to find solutions to our biggest economic challenges, devoting his invaluable insights to the service of Canada's democracy and diplomacy, and always doing so with good humour and grace,' Carney wrote. Federal foreign affairs minister Anita Anand said she was 'heartbroken' by McCallum's passing. 'From the moment I decided to run for office in 2019, John was by my side — always with a smile, endless enthusiasm, and thoughtful advice,' Anand wrote on X. Former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, in a post on X, called McCallum a friend, and said he helped guide Canada through some of its most challenging times. 'I will never forget how as a cabinet minister he helped me as a new Prime Minister steer the government through the rapid resettlement of tens of thousands of Syrian refugees,' Trudeau wrote. 'He made it happen despite real challenges in an unpredictable time.' McCallum held a succession of cabinet roles for three Liberal Prime Ministers — Jean Chrétien, Paul Martin and Justin Trudeau, before being named ambassador to China in 2017. McCallum stepped down from the ambassadorial post in 2019 after being asked to resign by Trudeau in the wake of remarks he made suggesting Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou had 'strong arguments' for avoiding extradition to the U.S. Meng's arrest in Canada had been criticized by China as a political favour to the U.S., something which was strenuously denied by Trudeau. Before entering politics, McCallum was the chief economist at RBC. Earlier in his career, he was an economics professor and dean of arts at McGill University. During the course of many TV debates over economics and politics, fellow economist Jim Stanford says McCallum's commitment to intellectual rigour — and helping fellow Canadians — were always in evidence. 'He had a very pragmatic, policy-focused economic perspective. He was interested in using economics to help make people's lives better,' said Stanford, an economist with the Centre for Future Work. 'He and I didn't agree on a lot, but his commitment to Canada, and to helping people, was always clear.' Stanford also noted that McCallum was no slouch as an academic, either, pointing to his 1995 paper in the American Economic Review on Canada-U.S. regional trade patterns. 'It's pretty rare for someone to be able to bridge academia, business and politics. But he managed to do it well,' said Stanford. McCallum is survived by his wife Nancy, their three sons, and six grandchildren. With files from Tonda MacCharles and Elissa Mendes
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
I use these 3 ChatGPT prompts to work smarter and stay competitive — here's how
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. If you've been following the news, you've probably seen it: AI-driven layoffs are on the rise. From newsroom cuts to tech giants automating tasks once handled by entire teams, AI is getting smarter and changing the job market faster than anyone expected. Whether you're trying to protect your current job or looking for your next role, the uncertainty is real. Even though I test AI tools for a living, I found myself asking: Could AI replace me, too? That's when I tried a simple exercise with ChatGPT — using just a few prompts to assess my career risk and figure out how to stay ahead of AI. Here's exactly how you can do the same. Start by copying and pasting your current resume into ChatGPT (or your preferred chatbot). You can also upload it directly, just be sure you have removed all personal, confidential or sensitive information first. If you don't have a formal resume handy, you could use ChatGPT to write one, or you can also provide a summary of your current role, responsibilities, and major skills. Once you've shared your background, type this prompt:"Based on my resume and skills, how soon will AI take my job?" You might be surprised by the response. AI can provide a candid, and often eye-opening, assessment of how vulnerable your role is to automation — and which aspects of your job are still uniquely human. It may flag parts of your skill set that are becoming less valuable in the current market. But, it may also give you reassurance based on your skills and ability to adapt. This is also a good time to enter the description of a job you're hoping to land in the next few years. Will it even exist? Next, follow up with this prompt: "What skills do I need to learn to pivot and future-proof my career?" The chatbot will typically generate a list of in-demand skills that can help you adapt, pivot to more secure roles or even transition into entirely new career paths. These often include areas where human expertise still has an edge — think creativity, emotional intelligence, leadership, strategy, problem-solving and relationship-building. Based on what the chatbot told you, go ahead and take your prompting a step further by asking ChatGPT: "What's the best way for me to start learning these skills?" In seconds, you'll get suggestions for online courses, certifications, books, podcasts and communities that can help you upskill — often tailored to your current industry or experience level. This quick exercise won't eliminate the risks of an AI-driven job market, but it will give you clarity and maybe even peace of mind as you discover new ways to use your skills. These prompts turn an overwhelming question (will AI take my job?) into an actionable plan. More importantly, it serves as a wake-up call: never stop learning. There are numerous ways you can elevate your human skillset and even develop skills to use AI to do your job better. The best way to stay relevant is to continuously evolve your skills and, where possible, double down on the human qualities AI can't easily replicate. That's your edge in an AI-powered ChatGPT the tough questions is a habit I now recommend to anyone, in any industry. I use the 'blank line' prompt every day now in ChatGPT — here's why Google just launched 'Search Live' — here's why you'll want to try it Midjourney video generation is here — but there's a problem holding it back
