MPMA has partnered with Anoka Area Chamber of Commerce for a Pipeline Dual Training Grant program at Anoka Technical College for an entry-level machine tool program. In 2023, MPMA also applied for a second grant for next-level training. Trainees must be employees of a company (as of the first day of training) and the training expenses are completely covered by the grant (through the Office of Higher Education and managed by the Department of Labor & Industry).
If you are interested in sending an employee to this training, please reach out to MPMA Workforce Development Coordinator contact us for more information.
The MPMA Education Foundation is a 501(c)(3) Public Charity that supports students entering manufacturing-related programs with annual scholarships to qualified students. In 2022, the Foundation awarded eight $2,000 scholarships to students in manufacturing-related programs.
In 2018 and 2020, the Foundation made two contributions of $30,000 each for scholarships that are offered to new students entering advanced manufacturing programs at Minnesota State colleges. These contributions supplement scholarships offered under the Workforce Development Scholarship program.
In 2017, MPMA spearheaded the legislation that created the Youth Skills Training program, enabling more high school students to participate in skills-based training at employer sites.
Some examples of MPMA member companies that have earned YST@DLI grants include:
Advanced Research Corporation sees great benefits from apprenticeships and internships at all levels to develop very highly skilled teams. They partner with both a technical college and university and then combine those machinists and engineers into cross-functional teams that work closely. Engineers learn to run machines, and Machinists learn to solve complex problems.
Heilux takes the approach of recruiting high school and college students, as well as students active in Scouts, with a high aptitude for problem-solving, work ethic, and leadership. They are organized in teams of two and allowed to set their schedules based on three different shifts. They leverage their need for “gamification” by challenging the teams to cross-train each other and compete for higher levels of productivity and quality. After 3 weeks, productivity increased by 300% over their regular full-time staff, shift leads rose up, and engagement increased.
Continental Engineering and Manufacturing knows they can’t simply rely on hiring people with existing talent. Seeing workforce programs in existence, they specifically recruit inexperienced candidates based upon workforce programs they can feed them into. This allows them more freedom in recruiting and still the ability to develop high-skilled employees. They work with Eden Prairie High School in their Talon Robotics program to coach, mentor, and assist students, some of which become apprentices and employees of CEM.
