Colleges partnering with businesses to develop workforce

Eight higher education institutions in Minnesota will receive grants totaling more than $2.5 million to develop workforce training programs with more than a dozen businesses.

It will focus on developing the existing workforce, including everything from building AI and analytics capability to automation robotics training.  

“It’s all about workforce retention,” said Telly Mamayek, the vice president of advancement at Normandale Community College, which will partner with Seagate Technology and Advanced Web Technologies. “Providing training, coursework and upscaling these employees so they can stay in their jobs and advance in their jobs.”

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) is providing a combined amount of more than $700,000 in grant funding to Normandale for the two partnerships. 

“Having this funding is really critical,&rd...