A love of hard work, hands on problem solving and contribution to the community made it easy for Kristi Weikum to choose a career.
“My father was a big influence on that; I said I want to try to be electrician, and he said that would be a really great fit.” says Kristi.
It also made choosing a college easy. Right after high school, Kristi attended the North Dakota State College of Science in Wahpeton, North Dakota, the only college in the state with an electrical technology program. After graduating, she entered the field, working in commercial, residential, construction and maintenance electrical throughout her career in the field.
However, the career she always wanted is also one the state of North Dakota is in critical need of. Kristi felt that need firsthand.
“There was a lot of overtime that we put in. Meeting those project deadlines with a shortage of workers is difficult because that work doubles, even triples.” says Kristi, reflecting on long days in her early career.
Electricians are the fifth most-needed occupation in North Dakota. This is due to the state’s increased construction and infrastructure growth and its massive, diverse energy industry. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Labor predicts North Dakota is uniquely positioned for this need to continue to grow at a rapid pace, predicting a 16% growth rate in North Dakota for electricians, compared to the 10% national average.
Fortunately, the foundation is being positioned to help solve this critical workforce need.
“I think we identified where the biggest return for the state that we could, and I think we made the right decisions.” says Kevin Iverson, Program Administrator at the North Dakota Department of Commerce.
Thanks to a one-time supplement to the State Energy Program (SEP) through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), Commerce was able to help fund Bismarck State College to establish an electrician technician program. Funds supported technology, tools and curriculum development. When BSC posted the new program, it filled in only one day, with no advertising, demonstrating how urgently the program was needed in North Dakota.
“Now we are full with a waitlist exceeding 35 people who want to get in. Due to that mass interest, we did open a start list for fall of 2027 as well,” says Mandi Eberle, assistant dean of Automation, Energy and Advanced Technologies Department at BSC.
Mandi says BSC is excited for the program to begin. It will help serve a different region of the state and fast-track students by allowing them to complete educational hours while still in school, helping them launch their careers sooner. Plus, there’s a new face on the BSC campus: Kristi Weikum, the new Electrician Technician Program Lead at BSC. She’s bringing the same work ethic that led her into the field to building a curriculum for students who share her passion.
“You get the gratification of helping students along the way and showing them, hey, this field can take you so many different directions, so many different places…residential, commercial, industrial and maintenance and coming full circle to teach that next generation,” says Kristi.
This strategic, one-time investment by Commerce has permanently wired a solution to North Dakota's critical workforce needs, transforming a single funding supplement into an enduring educational program that will serve the state for years to come.
Learn more about the Energy Efficiency Office and its programs: https://www.commerce.nd.gov/community-services/energy-efficiency-office
Explore the Electrical Technician Program at BSC: https://bismarckstate.edu/academics/programs/electriciantechnician/