The Minnesota Advanced Manufacturing Partnership (MNAMP) has been selected to receive a $15 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor for advanced manufacturing education throughout Minnesota. MNAMP is a state-wide Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) consortia that includes Saint Paul College. The consortium, which includes 12 MnSCU colleges and a Center of Excellence, is led by South Central College who applied for the grant on behalf of MNAMP and will be administering the grant’s execution.
The MNAMP consortia was created to help close the “skills gap” in the state by implementing a structure for advanced manufacturing education that emphasizes a standardized core curriculum, along with employer-driven apprenticeships and cooperative education opportunities. The grant project focuses on the fields of mechatronics, machining and welding. Participants will be able to earn stackable, portable industry-recognized credentials (certificates, diplomas, 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.
