White Bear Lake area schools and Cerenity Senior Care have been awarded a $95,000 grant through the Youth Skills Training Program to help connect students to opportunities in high-demand fields like health care. The partnership is one of five partnerships to receive a grant.
“There are numerous high-demand industries facing severe workforce shortages,” said Senator Roger Chamberlain (R-Lino Lakes). “Programs like Youth Skills Training will help those industries train the next generation of skilled workers. I am thrilled to see the program paying off right here in our local communities.”
“These grants allow high schools, businesses and community organizations to work together to train students and create skilled workers for their communities,” said Ken Peterson, DLI commissioner.
The Youth Skills Training Program was created by the legislature in 2017 with bipartisan support, in order to connect students to opportunities in high-growth, high-demand fields like manufacturing, information technology, health care, and automotive industries. It focuses on developing local partnerships in coordination with employers and schools to provide not only classroom instruction, but also paid-learning opportunities. Grant recipients can use the funds for student recruitment, training, transportation, certifications, or for program development.
The following partnerships received grants. They represent 13 school districts and more than 50 employer partners.
- Goodhue County Collaborative
- Hutchinson TigerPath Initiative
- Twin West Youth Skills Training Program
- White Bear Lake Area Schools and Cerenity Senior Care
- Winona Chamber’s REACH Initiative
Twenty-five local partnerships throughout the state applied for pilot program grant funding. These partnerships involved more than 60 school districts and more than 100 employers in four different industries.
A second round of applications will open this fall.