Hennepin Tech hosts Department of Employee and Economic Development, Governor Walz for Drive for Five grant roundtable

Brooklyn Park, March 19, 2024

Representatives from across the state gathered to discuss workforce development and opportunities provided by the Drive for 5 grants to fill in-demand positions in technology, the trades, caring professions, manufacturing, and education.

Joy Bodin, President of Hennepin Technical college commented on behalf of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, “As the largest provider of workforce education in the state, we are very proud of the fact that 62% of our students come from underserved populations and low-income families.”

After a roundtable discussion and press conference, attendees were invited to tour Hennepin Technical Colleges Machine Tool Technology lab. The Machine Tool Technology program will receive Drive for 5 grant funding to launch a customized, hands-on CNC operator training program for individuals with level one autism. The training for this high-demand career will be based on the national model from the Uniquely Abled Academy.

The Drive for 5 initiative is focused on developing five high-demand, high-growth occupational groupings because they sustain the State’s economy and provide family-sustaining wages. Drive for 5 focuses on moving Minnesotans into high-growth employment opportunities with family sustainable wages and prioritizes training for populations that face some of the most significant barriers to employment: people of color, people with disabilities, and those that face other systemic barriers.

About Hennepin Technical College

Founded in 1972, Hennepin Technical College is the largest stand-alone technical college in Minnesota. With campuses in Brooklyn Park and Eden Prairie, the college offers degree and non-degree courses in over 40 programs in the skilled trades and high-demand career fields. Achieving a high job placement rate, Hennepin Tech prepares students for high-paying employment opportunities.