Every few months, there is another big announcement coming out of the Magic Valley. Chobani is expanding their operations. True West and Idaho Milk Products are growing. The jobs these companies bring to the region are not entry-level positions — they are technical careers that offer employee benefits, and good pay, allowing community members to create a meaningful career close to home.  The question we are asking now is – how do we continue to build the skilled workforce that matches that growth, so local companies continue to grow and new companies will arrive and not feel the need to look elsewhere?

This is the gap that the College of Southern Idaho (CSI) and our local employer partners are working to solve together, ensuring that our growing region has the skilled workers it needs to flourish and continue to grow.

The barrier is not ambition. It is often cost. Education costs are higher than ever – and a student working two jobs cannot afford to quit their jobs to attend school. If our goal is for the community to develop the skilled workforce local employers need, we have to prioritize making the pathways more accessible by lowering costs and accelerating programs.

That is exactly why public-private partnerships like Idaho LAUNCH and the Chobani Scholars Program are so important. Idaho LAUNCH — the statewide workforce training program — covers up to 80% of tuition and fees for students enrolled in high-demand programs. Chobani takes that model a step further. Through the Chobani Scholars Program at CSI, up to 10 students per year receive a scholarship covering the remaining 20% of tuition costs, and an additional $1,000 per year for books, and other training materials — removing the hidden costs that can get in the way of even the most motivated students.

An example of this partnership in action is Logan Burgess, an automation engineering technology student from Jerome, ID. Like many students in our region, Logan had the drive to build a career — but needed a clear runway to get there. The Chobani Scholars Program in partnership with Idaho LAUNCH helps eliminate financial barriers, so he could enroll in school without any financial stress. With tuition covered, Logan completed his program and graduated on May 15, 2026 with an associate degree from CSI.  This hands-on program teaches Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), Human Machine Interfaces (HMIs), and electronics and circuits — the exact skills modern food production and manufacturing facilities depend on. No debt. No detour. A direct path from classroom to career, which is exactly what Logan plans to do.

The skills we teach in CSI’s Automation Engineering Technology program are not theoretical. PLCs automate production lines. HMIs are the screens technicians use to monitor and adjust those systems in real time. Employers in this region are looking for someone who can walk in on day one and solve problems. These programs deliver exactly that.

The question I hear most from community and business leaders is not about credentials or degrees — it is about retention. How do we keep our young people here?

The answer is simple: students follow opportunity. If the jobs available locally do not match their training or interests, they will go find jobs that do. Programs like Chobani Scholars Program and Idaho LAUNCH work because they are built around what employers are specifically hiring for in this region. A student who trains here, finds meaningful work here, and builds a life here. This is the outcome everyone is working toward.

If you are a student or a parent: there are programs like the Chobani Scholars Program and Idaho LAUNCH at CSI right now that lead directly to in-demand jobs—making higher education more accessible and genuinely affordable. Please reach out to us directly to learn more – our goal is always to create opportunity.

If you are an employer or a community leader: the next step is engagement — internships, equipment, guest instruction, hiring commitments. The students are here. The programs are here. The funding is here. The jobs are coming. The question is whether the workers will be ready.

Brett Madron is Senior Director of Workforce and Economic Development at the College of Southern Idaho.