Hennepin Technical College (HTC) will use a $250,000 state grant to train uniquely abled adults in machine tool technology. The Drive for 5 grant comes from the Minnesota Department of Employee and Economic Development (DEED).
HTC will launch a customized training program, based on the national model from the Uniquely Abled Academy (UAA), to provide education and hands-on training in high-demand computer numeric control (CNC) operating to individuals with level one autism.
The UAA, created by the Uniquely Abled Project, aims to provide vocational opportunities for the uniquely abled by matching their abilities to in-demand jobs.
HTC also was named as a partner in two additional DEED grants, including manufacturing and healthcare at both the Eden Prairie and Brooklyn Park campuses.
The grant announcement came in conjunction with a recent roundtable meeting at HTC that focused on 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. Gov. Tim Walz was among the attendees and participated in a tour of the college’s machine tool technology lab.
Georgia
The Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety has renewed Savannah Technical College’s (STC) grant of nearly $140,000 to operate the Coastal Georgia Center for Driver Safety. This is the fourth year STC has received this grant.
The college will continue to provide distracted and impaired driver prevention education for youth, young adults and parents in surrounding counties. Activities include community- and school-based workshops, virtual reality simulation education and social media messaging.
In 2023, the Coastal Georgia Center for Driver Safety reached more than 5,000 high school students and their parents.
Maine
Maine’s community colleges received almost $15 million in federal funding. More than half of the funds will go toward adding healthcare training facilities and technology at multiple colleges.
The funding, included in the federal budget package signed by President Joe Biden in late March, is timely since Maine’s community colleges recently doubled their nursing program capacity and significantly expanded short-term workforce training programs in health care to meet industry demand.
“There is such a desperate need right now in Maine for health care workers, and we’re seeing high demand for our health care programs,” said David Daigler, president of the Maine Community College System (MCCS).
The funding also will help to add virtual reality teaching tools, expand a plumbing lab at one college, provide temporary housing for students enrolled in short-term workforce training programs, and expand high-demand academic programs.
Mississippi
Students in Itawamba Community College’s (ICC) School of STEM will benefit from a $15,000 contribution from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).
“Because of TVA’s generosity, ICC’s students, who are majoring in STEM-related areas, can experience a weather balloon experiment and a mobile planetarium, both significant additions to our curriculum and opportunities that will enhance learning,” said Natural Science Division Chair Jada Mills.
The Weather Balloon Research Opportunity will connect to Mills’ Special Topics in Biology course and provide students with research opportunities. The project includes general information about weather balloons, determining the purpose of the experiment, deploying the weather balloon at the Fulton Campus and collection and analysis of data.
Texas
The Alamo Colleges District announced the launch of the Alamo Colleges District Credit Mobility Project, funded by a nearly $500,000 grant from the Greater Texas Foundation. The initiative aims to create a student-facing degree planning portal that will facilitate seamless transfers between the Alamo Colleges and its college and university partner institutions.
The Alamo Colleges District Credit Mobility Project will build on the Transfer Advising Guides (TAGs) initiative by the Alamo Colleges. TAGs provides step-by-step information for students looking to transfer to a four-year institution, reducing the time to transfer and ensuring all credits apply toward their degree. The portal will give colleges and universities essential information on credit applicability, estimated costs, admissions, advising and financial aid.
Washington
South Puget Sound Community College (SPSCC) will receive a $28,125 grant through the Washington EV Charging Grant program, administered by the state Department of Commerce. The grant will allow SPSCC to install five electric vehicle charging stations on campus.
“These charging stations will not only serve our campus community but also support the region’s broader goals of environmental stewardship and innovation,” said Laura Price, SPSCC’s director of facilities.
