South Dakota Dreams: A “Freedom Works Here” Story

By: Governor Kristi Noem

July 21, 2023

Alex moved to the United States from South Africa in 1995. He had lived in Seattle ever since – until the COVID pandemic and violent riots changed the city. In 2021, Alex decided that he’d had enough of the soaring cost of living and diminishing quality of life on the West Coast. He packed his bags, moved to South Dakota, and never looked back. And Alex says that moving to the Mount Rushmore State is one of the greatest decisions he’s ever made.

“I decided to go to South Dakota because I wanted to improve my situation and my life,” Alex said. “Moving to South Dakota was one of the best decisions of my life. And I can honestly say there isn’t a day that goes by where I don’t think about how thankful I am to be in South Dakota.”

Today, Alex is a dedicated job advisor with the South Dakota Department of Labor & Regulation. And with our new “Freedom Works Here” nationwide workforce recruitment campaign, he’s busier than ever.

Even with the lowest unemployment rate in the history of the nation, South Dakota still has open jobs to spare. We have more jobs than people! So we’re inviting Freedom-loving people from across America to come join our winning workforce.

More than 3,000 people have applied to find jobs in South Dakota – that’s when folks like Alex step in. As a job advisor, Alex works to connect individuals interested in moving to our state with our businesses that are in need of workers. His personal journey and firsthand experience in transitioning to a new state allow him to empathize with his clients on a profound level. For that reason, Alex is working directly with folks moving from the West Coast!

“Freedom Works Here” has already been the most successful workforce recruitment campaign in South Dakota history. The number one state for applications is California. Americans are seeing the pitfalls of far-left policies. People don’t want to live in packed communities with skyrocketing prices and politicians that don’t seem to care for their wellbeing.

For so many of these folks, South Dakota is a beacon of hope and Freedom. Our vast lands, our thriving economy, and our patriotism set us apart. These folks really are making a statement. It’s not easy to pick up your entire life and move your family across the country, but that’s exactly what these people are doing.

We have hundreds of applicants that are already working with people like Alex. Over 550 are in the final stages of finding career opportunities to move to South Dakota. And people like Alex who have actually packed up their lives and moved here are the one that really connect with Americans from coast to coast.

Alex firmly believes that everyone deserves a chance to thrive professionally. He is committed to empowering others to achieve their dreams in South Dakota. And there are people like Alex all over our great state. People have seen that our small-town values and rural way of life work.

Freedom Works Here – and now, Americans from across the nation are working here too.

You can listen to Alex tell his story here. More information about the “Freedom Works Here” campaign can be found here.

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