6 days Ago By Prairie Business Staff
Cill Skabo Chief Growth Officer Bravera Dickinson, N.D. At Bravera, we believe investing in young leaders is key to our long-term success.
Career development is at the heart of how we cultivate leadership, ensuring emerging professionals gain the skills, confidence, and opportunities to grow. ADVERTISEMENT We take a personalized approach by identifying what motivates young professionals and aligning their interests with meaningful development opportunities. By delegating tasks beyond their typical responsibilities, we empower them to take on challenges, build new skills, and gain leadership experience.
This enhances job satisfaction, strengthens retention, and opens doors for advancement. Bravera fosters leadership growth through structured programs such as mentorship, internships, and tuition reimbursement. Leadership actively identifies employees with high potential and provides them with opportunities to develop and advance.
We use performance reviews to assess strengths, create development plans with clear goals, and encourage continuous learning to stay ahead in a changing industry. A key part of this growth is empowering young professionals to take ownership while ensuring they have supervisor support. We give them the confidence to make decisions, solve problems, and lead, knowing mentorship and resources are always available.
Mentorship plays a crucial role in this journey. We pair young professionals with experienced mentors who provide feedback, networking opportunities, and career guidance. Our internship program also introduces fresh talent to real-world experiences, helping them build skills, expand networks, and transition into full-time roles.
At Bravera, leadership development fosters a culture of growth, empowerment, and lifelong learning, ensuring young leaders are equipped to drive success well into the future. ___ Michelle Mongeon Allen, FAIA, LEED AP CEO JLG Architects Minneapolis, Minn. At JLG Architects, nurturing the development of young leaders is a fundamental core value.
Over two decades ago, we embraced a comprehensive approach that includes both internal and external education. JLG has since built development programs and clear career paths for promotion. Our approach consists of structured weekly or bi-weekly coaching sessions, where JLG’s leaders guide emerging talent, share insights, and provide career advice in both group and one-on-one settings.
ADVERTISEMENT Our specialized training program, JLGdna, focuses on building essential architectural and professional skills, such as communication, decision-making, and strategic thinking. We also invest in Amberbook, a program designed to help young leaders streamline their path to licensure. This includes an ARE exam prep course, study guides, and practice tests — everything needed to pass the NCARB ARE 5.
0 and become a licensed architect. More recently, we've incorporated LinkedIn Learning to provide access to expert-led course videos that help our emerging leaders discover and develop new skills in business, technology, and creative workflows. Finally, we ensure everyone has a defined career path that aligns with their unique talents, paving the way for growth opportunities, stretch assignments, and internal promotions based on performance and potential.
Supporting the development of our young leaders is not only the right thing to do; it’s a commitment essential to the industry, as well as to our growth and resilience as an employee-owned firm. ___ Cassie Gerhardt Senior Associate Vice President, Student Affairs University of North Dakota Grand Forks, N.D.
At the University of North Dakota, students have numerous opportunities to learn about leadership and to develop their individual skills as leaders in action. Through academic courses, experiential learning opportunities and leadership development programs, students gain valuable skills in critical thinking, ethical decision-making, and problem-solving that prepare them for a variety of leadership roles and professional positions. Students can earn a Leadership Minor in the Nistler College of Business and Public Administration.
Program courses provide students with opportunities to learn about desired qualities of leaders, to consider the relationships between leaders and followers and to explore the contributions of successful leaders in a variety of fields. Outside the classroom, students have numerous opportunities to develop and apply their leadership skills. By participating in programs such as the 18:83 Speaker Series and the Poolman Leadership Academy, students can engage with and learn from faculty, staff, alumni and community leaders.
Through involvement in internships, student government, study abroad, campus employment, community service initiatives, and student organizations, students can gain hands-on, practical experiences that enhance their communication, teamwork and organizational skills. Regardless of their major or intended career field, UND offers students numerous opportunities to engage in curricular and co-curricular leadership development experiences that foster cultural competency, civic responsibility and personal development. By engaging in experiences that bridge academic knowledge with real-world application, students are equipped to make meaningful contributions as leaders in their communities and professional environments long after they graduate from UND.
___ ADVERTISEMENT Emily Myrum Chief Talent Officer Brady Martz & Associates Grand Forks, N.D. At Brady Martz & Associates, we take pride in developing young leaders and preparing them for long-term success.
Our largest hiring pipeline comes from our internship programs and new graduate associates, and our goal is to foster their growth into future partners. We follow a three-pillar framework for talent development: technical ability, coaching and mentorship, and learning by doing. Through structured programs and intentional leadership opportunities, we equip young professionals with the skills and confidence to develop and grow.
Our coaching and mentorship programs connect new associates with experienced team members who provide guidance, career advice, and feedback to refine their technical skills. We coach using a structured skills matrix and competency framework, helping young professionals navigate their growth path effectively. ADVERTISEMENT The third pillar—learning by doing exposes young professionals to a variety of engagements, industries, and leadership roles—such as managing projects, mentoring interns, and presenting to clients—building confidence, accountability, and decision-making abilities early in their careers.
We encourage CPA certification by offering financial incentives. Additionally, Brady Martz University strengthens our leadership pipeline by providing training in leadership, communication, and professional success skills. Beyond leadership development, we invest heavily in technical excellence.
Our firm leaders design and deliver specialized internal training, ensuring our team stays at the forefront of industry standards. By integrating mentorship, coaching, hands-on experiences, and structured learning, we cultivate a strong pipeline of future leaders—ensuring continued growth and excellence at Brady Martz. ___.
