Ridgewater, Minnesota West to receive share of $17M federal training grant

WILLMAR - Ridgewater College and Minnesota West Community and Technical College are among Minnesota colleges which will participate in more than $17 million in federal grants to train workers in high-demand fields.
The grants are from the U.S. Department of Labor.
The two schools will participate with 11 others in the Minnesota Advanced Manufacturing Partnership, which has received a $15 million grant.
The consortium of 13 schools will work with eligible adults and veterans to help them gain experience in advanced manufacturing. The schools will work in partnership with local businesses, the Department of Employment and Economic Development and the Governor’s Workforce Development Council.
Other colleges participating in the grant work will be Bemidji State University, Century College, Dakota County Technical College, Lake Superior College, Minneapolis Community and Technical College, Minnesota State Community and Technical College, Riverland Community College, South Central College, Normandale, Northland Community and Technical College as well as St. Paul College.
Another $2.5 million grant will be used for the Construction and Utilities Succeed Program at Minnesota State Community and Technical College for training and certifications in construction and utility industries.
“Minnesota’s greatest economic strength has always been our highly-skilled workforce,”
Gov. Mark Dayton said in a news release. “This initiative will help train hundreds of Minnesotans for good jobs in high-demand industries.”