Minnesota State College Southeast receives grant for new workforce development program

(ABC 6 News) — Minnesota State College Southeast has received a state grant to create a new workforce development program in partnership with several area manufacturing companies.

This spring, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) awarded a $399,827 Minnesota Jobs Skills Partnership grant to the college, which will support advanced mechatronics and automation technologies on the Red Wing campus.

The partnership includes seven businesses: 3M Fall Protection, Ardent Mills, Food Service Specialties, Gemini, Hearth and Home Technologies, Intek Plastics, and Red Wing Shoes. The companies identified a common need for advanced mechatronics and automation training as their operations incorporate more automation and robotics technologies.

The college will build upon its existing one-year Foundational Mechatronics diploma program with advanced curriculum to develop a new 20-credit certificate in Automation Essentials, leading to the launch of a full second-year AAS degree program. 

Participating businesses must partner with an accredited educational institution for Minnesota Jobs Skills Partnership (MJSP) grants, which are awarded to the educational institution to develop and deliver custom training for the business. Programming covered by the grants includes onboarding and training new workers, upskilling current workers, promoting workforce diversity, defining career pathways, developing communication and leadership skills, and more.