MnSCU Manufacturing and Applied Engineering Center of Excellence Receives $3 Million National Science Foundation Grant

Goal is highly trained manufacturing technicians

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) Manufacturing and Applied Engineering Center of Excellence has been awarded a National Science Foundation grant for nearly $3 million to educate and train manufacturing technicians.

“This grant will help us advance our goal of increasing the quantity, quality and diversity of manufacturing technicians,” said MnSCU Chancellor Steven Rosenstone. “Employers from across the state tell us they are concerned about the shortage of skilled technicians. Meeting this need for highly-skilled workers is vital to keeping Minnesota manufacturers competitive in the global marketplace.”

With the four-year grant, the Manufacturing and Applied Engineering Center of Excellence will:

• Work with K-12 schools to encourage more high school students to pursue manufacturing careers and prepare for rigorous manufacturing technician programs;
• Refine industry-driven curricula so it better serves today’s manufacturing industry and anticipates future needs; and
• Assess student learning to drive ongoing program improvement and provide evidence of student achievement.

The MnSCU Manufacturing and Applied Engineering Advanced Technological Education Regional Center of Excellence is a partnership of 10 institutions led by Bemidji State University. Partner institutions include Central Lakes College, Lake Superior College, Minneapolis Community and Technical College, Northland Community and Technical College, Northwest Technical College, Pine Technical College, Riverland Community College, Saint Paul College, and St. Cloud Technical and Community College.