Bemidji State University part of $15 million Department of Labor grant

Oct. 3, 2014 — Bemidji State University is one of 12 partner institutions with the 360° Manufacturing and Applied Engineering ATE Regional Center of Excellence which will benefit from a $15 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) program.

The Minnesota Advanced Manufacturing Partnership has been selected to receive the grant for advanced manufacturing education throughout Minnesota. South Central College, a member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system and one of 15 partners in the 360° Manufacturing and Applied Engineering ATE Regional Center of Excellence, applied for the grant on behalf of the partnership and will be administering the grant’s execution.

Bemidji State is receiving $412,044, which will allow the 360° Center of Excellence to provide project expertise to the partnership in the areas of core and foundational manufacturing skill curriculum, outreach to employer and college partners on the benefits and advantages of manufacturing industry-recognized credentials and by promoting the Dream It. Do It. manufacturing recruitment strategy to improve the image of the manufacturing industry.

“A TAACCCT grant once again being awarded to our state community and technical colleges affirms the critical role our campuses play in preparing graduates to meet Minnesota’s workforce needs,” said MnSCU Chancellor Steven Rosenstone. “This is what we do for communities and employers across the state. We’re able to leverage the power of a network of 31 colleges and universities to provide more education to more Minnesotans.”

The grant project focuses on the fields of mechatronics, machining and welding. Participants will be able to earn stackable, portable, industry-recognized credentials, including certificates, diplomas and degrees, while simultaneously working in the industry. They will also be able to enter academic programs at multiple points based on assessment results that match individual skills.

The grant targets unemployed, underemployed and dislocated workers; incumbent workers; and other adult learners and underrepresented groups. Traditional students are also eligible. The program is expected to benefit more than 3,000 students and hundreds of manufacturing companies throughout Minnesota. Many Minnesota manufacturers, industry and workforce organizations have stepped up to partner with these colleges.

The Minnesota Advanced Manufacturing Partnership was created to help close Minnesota’s skills gap by implementing a structure for advanced manufacturing education. It emphasizes a standardized core curriculum along with employer-driven apprenticeships and cooperative education opportunities.

About the 360° Center of Excellence

The 360° Manufacturing and Applied Engineering ATE Regional Center of Excellence is a consortium of 15 Minnesota higher education institutions. It is led by Bemidji State University and includes 14 technical and community colleges in the state. 360° is designing a 21st-century education system that prepares individuals for rewarding careers in manufacturing and meets the needs of the region’s manufacturing employers through an enhanced pipeline, industry-driven curriculum and authentic assessment. 360° is a member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system and in 2012 received a National Science Foundation award to become an Advanced Technological Education Regional Center. For more, visit http://www.360mn.org.