Grantee/Educational Provider

First Care Medical Service Consortium (First Care Medical Services, Roseau Area Hospital & Homes, Lake Wood Healthcare Services)

This partnership will help the health care industry in northwest Minnesota by creating a profitable Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) program that will help them remain competitive in the staffing market. Northland CTC will customize training for a total of 326 trainees from three healthcare facilities – First Care Medical Services, Fosston; Roseau Area Hospital & Homes, Roseau; and Lake Wood Healthcare Services, Baudette. As a result of this project, healthcare staff will develop new skills that are increasingly in demand and also help attract additional needed staff. Northland CTC will become the only educational institute in the state of Minnesota that offers a comprehensive curriculum in CAM.

Local Contact: Pat Balstad, Director of Lifelong Learning, Northland Community & Tech College, 218-773-4524
 

Amerilab Technologies, located in Plymouth, MN, is involved in the development, manufacturing and packaging of effervescent tablets, cachets and powder sticks for a large number of industries. The company has added over 100 employees in the last year and a half and anticipates the addition of 40 new hires. Dakota County Technical College will address the challenges faced as a result of rapid company growth through customized training for 235 incumbent and new hires. The project will provide trainees with nationally recognized skills documentation through the use of the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council’s (MSSC) Certification System. This project will benefit Amerilab through improved employee performance and retention that will support growth and the creation of jobs as well as internal promotion of employees.

Local Contact: Larry Raddatz, Training Coordinator, Dakota County Technical College, 651-423-8276
 

Foldcraft Company is recognized as one of the top five companies in the Food Service Furnishing Industry, with facilities in Kenyon, Brooklyn Center and Eden Prairie, MN. A partnership with Dakota Co. Technical College and South Central College will provide customized training to 344 employees that will include the introduction of lean manufacturing. Training will help the company to improve their manufacturing efficiencies; thereby helping them retain a competitive edge. A partnership with the local workforce board in Goodhue County and local minority associations will provide new avenues to pursue qualified workers in response to Foldcraft’s plans to hire an additional 30 employees.

Local Contact: Pat McQuillan, Customized Training Coordinator, Dakota Co. Technical College, 651-423-8318
 

Dakota County Technical College

Frontier Communications is a subsidiary of Citizens Communications, serving over 2.4 million access lines throughout 24 states. Since the recent announcement to consolidate 14 call centers into 2-3 centers, Frontier has been working to ensure that the Burnsville, MN call center be retained and expanded. Through this partnership, Dakota Co. Technical College will develop new capacity through the development of a new Call Center Technician Program. A total of 300 Frontier employees will receive training that includes Customer Service, Sales and other specialized instruction. Training will ensure current and future employees of Frontier are able to effectively initiate and develop relationships with clients in a rapidly changing communications industry.

Local Contact: Antar Salim, Customized Training Coordinator, Dakota Co. Technical College, 651-688-1183
 

Swift Transportation is the largest publicly held truckload carrier in the U.S. This project will address a critical shortage of truck drivers due to mass retirements and an unprecedented growth in volume of shipments. With the opening of the new Minnesota terminal in May 2006, Swift expects to grow its Minnesota fleet from 240 to 350-400 trucks within the next 18 months. This partnership with Dakota Co. Technical College will develop and deliver training for 200 economically disadvantaged trainees resulting in a Commercial Drivers License (CDL). District 196 Adult Basic Education will further customize curriculum for low-literacy and immigrant populations. All trainees will be guaranteed employment at Swift upon successful completion of the program.

Local Contact: Nicole Gary Crews, Director of Employment & Training, Dakota County Tech College, 651-423-8268

This project will create a “Community of Practice” (CoP) for three New Ulm, MN manufacturers – Kraft Foods, Parker-Hannifin, and Windings. In partnership with Ridgewater College, they will pilot a project that will provide training and initiate the process to develop a community capacity to generate a more competitive workforce on a continuous basis. A total of 575 employees will receive instruction in three core areas: Leadership, Change Management, and Continuous Improvement, which will significantly improve the productivity and competitive position of the participating businesses. This project will create new capacity for Ridgewater College that will benefit other businesses in New Ulm and the surrounding southeast region of Minnesota.

Local Contact: Pat Lang, Project Manager, Ridgewater College, 320-587-3636

This partnership addresses the serious healthcare worker shortage faced by four rural healthcare facilities in Southern Minnesota – New Ulm Medical Center, Sleepy Eye Medical Center, Madelia Community Hospital and Oak Hills Living Center. South Central College will work with Ridgewater College and Hennepin Technical College to develop curriculum focusing on the needs of 311 existing nursing staff. Nine new courses in general and advanced assessment skills will be taught using “Sim Man” simulation technology, a new capacity for South Central College. The simulation unit will ultimately become part of a new Simulation Education Center currently being developed by SCC and MN State University-Mankato, making it available for use by other educational facilities. SCC will also partner with Anoka-Ramsey Community College for Charge Nurse training utilizing curriculum previously developed with MJSP funds.

Local Contact: Eric Weller, Customized Training Representative, South Central College, 507-389-7319

Lowry Computer Products, Inc., a label printing company located in White Bear Lake, MN, is focusing its future growth on the emerging technology of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID). This industry is expected to experience tremendous growth as the need and applications for scanning devices increases. A partnership with Pine Technical College will provide RFID training to 97 employees, which includes 42 new hires. Pine Tech will develop seven new credit courses and gain new expertise in the area of RFID bielomatic press operation and flexographic printing. The Center of Excellence for Manufacturing and Applied Engineering will collaborate with Pine Tech to develop a new apprenticeship program and to share the innovative technology curriculum with its educational partners. This training will result in increased production capacity and revenues.

Local Contact: Jason Spaeth, Director, Customized & Continuing Education, Pine Technical College, 800-521-7463
 

Lake City Medical Center & Cannon Falls Medical Center

This partnership between MN State College-SE Tech and Lake City Medical Center will initiate a plan to implement a new Process Engineering program to address the challenges of worker shortages, larger competitors, and an increasingly complex and costly regulatory environment. MN State College will collaborate with Riverland Technical College to develop curriculum and deliver lean healthcare training to a total of 379 employees in all areas within the medical center. Cannon Falls Medical Center will also receive training as a secondary participating business. The new program will create efficiency, enhance quality and reduce costs that will ensure the future stability of the participating healthcare organizations and others in Southern Minnesota.

Local Contact: Judy Graff, Custom Training Consultant, MN State College - SE Technical, 651-267-7706
 

IBM’s Rochester, MN facility employs approximately 4,400 employees whose primary mission is the development, manufacture and support of IBM eServer business computers. Changes in today’s labor market require that they invest in new skill development for their incumbent workforce; however, much of the training needed is only available out of state. Rochester Community and Technical College and IBM experts will co-develop curriculum and provide training to 225 IBM employees in three core competency areas: Project Management, Business Acumen, and Intercultural Relationship Management. Training will help sharpen the skills of the employees that will improve efficiency and increase IBM’s ability to meet global demands and maintain competitive advantage. This new capacity will be available for other Minnesota businesses with similar needs.

Local Contact: Sara Bunge, Workforce Development Specialist, Rochester CTC, 507-280-3124
 

This partnership will assist a multi-national Fortune 500 company that supports diversified business process outsourcing (BPO) and information technology outsourcing (ITO) to commercial and government clients worldwide. In May 2006, they opened a new operations site in Fergus Falls, MN. Affiliated Computer Services (ACS) plans to expand their current workforce of eight to 150 employees by 2009. MN State Community and Technical College (MSCTC) and ACS will contract with IT Specialists to develop server specific learning modules and labs. A total of 50 employees will receive training in specific computer management applications systems that will enable them to manage services that support multiple ACS clients internationally. MSCTC will gain new capacity that can later be duplicated beyond the scope of this project.

Local Contact: Pat Wilber, VP for Advancement/CTS, MN State Community & Technical College, 218-779-4861
 

Boise Cascade LLC

Boise Cascade, located in International Falls, MN, manufactures specialty paper projects with a workforce of 860. Faced with a large number of projected retirements, Boise Cascade needs to develop the next generation of skilled industrial employees. Rainy River Community College (RRCC) and Boise Cascade will collaborate with Mesabi Range Community College to customize and share curriculum from a recently received MJSP grant for Industrial Technology training specific to the mining industry. Classroom and web-based modules will provide instruction to 224 employees from the maintenance department. The development of a new two-year AAS degree program at Rainy River in Industrial Technology will add to the areas’ economic viability by improving workforce development within the paper industry, increasing productivity within Boise Cascade and developing a supply of skilled individuals to fill projected shortages.

Local Contact: Julie Schumacher, Customized Training Rep., Rainy River Community College, 218-285-2255

HC Holdings

Ten investors recently purchased the assets of Homecrest Industries, a Wadena, MN outdoor furniture company, which employed 500 employees when it closed its doors in 2005. The new company, HC Holdings, currently employs 183 employees and needs to build a culture and understanding that this is a new company with new opportunities. A partnership with Teamworks, Inc. will provide new and customized training to all employees concentrating on three key areas: Developing the Culture of HC Holdings; Engineering Right, Start to Finish – New Product Introduction System; and Development of the Organizations Operations. This project will help HC Holdings achieve its goals of increased productivity and support their efforts to grow and revitalize the community. In addition, Teamworks will gain capacity in the areas of engineering and culture development, which will be useful in working with other manufacturers.

Local Contact: Kathy Carney, CEO, Teamworks, Inc., 218-732-3622

This project will assist SJE Rhombus, an employee-owned company located in Detroit Lakes, MN. SJE Rhombus manufacturers float switches, alarm systems, control panels and printed circuit board products that support a variety of industrial, residential, commercial and municipal water and wastewater applications. Teamworks will partner with SJE Rhombus to develop new curriculum in the areas of municipal, industrial and commercial water and wastewater industries. A total of 120 incumbent workers will attend training which will help them progress into jobs requiring higher levels of technical expertise. This partnership will support the continued growth and success of SJE Rhombus, its employees and the community and will strengthen Teamwork’s capacity in manufacturing technology.

Local Contact: Kathy Carney, CEO, Teamworks, Inc., 218-732-3622

Carver-Scott Educational Cooperative

Lake Region Manufacturing, Inc., located in Chaska, MN is a leading manufacturer of high precision medical devices. The medical device industry has grown to be an important part of Minnesota’s economy and the demand for qualified workers in this high growth sector of the medical product manufacturing industry is expected to increase substantially in the future. This will help meet the ongoing need for skilled precision grinders through a partnership between Lake Region Mfg., Carver-Scott Educational Cooperative (CSEC) and Dunwoody College of Technology. The project’s innovative tiered training structure allows for four entry points in which trainees can gain the skills needed to progress to a higher level. A total of 130 employees will receive training through this grant. Most curriculum is new or highly customized to meet the needs of trainees in each level, ranging from specialized Adult Basic Education (ABE) courses through Grinder Specialist I, II and III, and finally to Team Leader. CSEC has coordinated with the area ABE program to expand its options for adult learners to included a combined GED/Grinder I certification. CSEC will also collaborate with Dunwoody to design a satellite campus, which will expand its accredited high-level precision grinding program, increase training opportunities and better meet the needs of area manufacturers.

Local Contact: Richard Scott, Director of Research & Development, Carver-Scott Educational Coop., 952-368-8807
 

Gopher Resource Corp. (GRC) is a family-owned, lead-acid battery recycling company in Eagan, MN. This project involves a partnership between GRC and St. Paul College that will provide training to 204 employees. St. Paul College will offer consulting, curriculum development and training related services to support GRC’s Lean Enterprise and continuous organizational improvements. Using a variety of Lean-Flow and Six Sigma tools, four specific areas will be addressed: Recruitment and Retention, Process Improvements-Lean Flow-Six Sigma-Transformation; The Human Side of Process Improvement; and Employee Engagement and Deployment. Through this grant, GRC will better position itself for the anticipated growth and increased production capacity and St. Paul College will expand their capacity in training and delivery of Lean-Flow manufacturing tools and concepts.

Local Contact: Paul Dalton, Customized Training Representative, St. Paul College, 651-846-1429
 

Immedia, Inc.

Immedia, Inc. is a small printing company, which recently acquired a point-of-purchase business and plans to merge this operation with the existing Immedia operations in Minneapolis. Intense competition for its customer base is the main threat faced by Immedia who wants to strengthen its national market share by training its employees to work more productively and creatively. A partnership with Normandale Community College will help Immedia achieve its objectives by converting traditional Lean curriculum into computer-based training, which will be offered to 146 Immedia employees. This project will create and sustain the transition to a lean organization, build diversity and growth in their customer base and increase the knowledge and productivity of Immedia employees.

Local Contact: Brenda Dickinson, Dean, Customized Training, Normandale Community College, 952-487-8238
 

John’s Auto Parts is a well-established automobile recycling business located in Blaine, MN. This project will assist the company as they transition from their outdated data management system to a new Solara Powerlink System. Anoka-Ramsey Community College will develop specific work processes and provide training to 114 employees that include topics such as Powerlink-System Overview and Introduction to Crystal Reports. The addition of the new technology and staff capacity will help John’s Auto Parts to manage their increasing volume of business more efficiently and help them achieve their goals of continued growth and improved profitability.

Local Contact: Jess Niebuhr, Director, Continuing Education/Customized Training, ARCC, 763-433-1225
 

Community Memorial Hospital (CMH) is a small, rural facility located in Cloquet, MN. Through MJSP funds, Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College (FDLTCC) will partner with CMH to develop training and competency testing for health care professionals utilizing simulation technology via a newly purchased Childbirth Simulator. One hundred seventeen (117) current employees (RNs, LPNs, and RNAs) will enhance their skills through courses that include Obstetric Emergency Care for Emergency Room RNs and Advanced Patient Care Skills Training. The simulation training will be added to the current First Responder training for FDLTCC’s Law Enforcement students as well as EMT students.

Local Contact: Candi Broeffle, Customized Training Representative, FDLTCC, 218-879-0743
 

LJP Enterprises, Inc. is a refuse and recycling company located in St. Peter, MN. MJSP funds will support a partnership between South Central College (SCC) and LJP Enterprises to provide needed training relating to industry regulations and technologies regarding environmental disposal, transportation and safety. SCC will develop new curriculum, which will be delivered to 48 employees in classroom and hands-on sessions. During the first year of the grant, a training video will be created for future sessions. This project will benefit the business, the school and the participants while addressing important environmental issues related to the refuse and recycling industry.

Local Contact: Jason Stratman, Customized Training Representative, South Central College, 507-332-5816
 

Wheaten Community Hospital and Traverse Care Center, located in Wheaton, MN are partnering with Alexandria Technical College (ATC) to address their need for internal process improvement. Thirty (30) employees will be offered training through a “Continuous Improvement in Healthcare” project provided by ATC in collaboration with Northland Community and Technical College. Courses such as Principles of Continuous Improvement, Value Stream Mapping and Workplace Organization will be supplemented with facilitated hands-on learning opportunities. ATC will expand their capacity for Continuous Improvement in Healthcare as a result of this project.

Local Contact: Chad Coauette, Dean of Customized Training, Alexandria Technical College, 320-762-4403