New School Year, Same Organization
The Weekly Report – Sept. 15, 2025.
Check out the latest issue of Enterprise Minnesota magazine to learn about three education programs that are filling the pipeline for future manufacturing workers.
As schools around the state resume classes for the 2025-26 school year, educators and local manufacturers continue working to expose more students to the promise of manufacturing careers. We highlight three of those initiatives in a special report–Minnesota’s Next Gen Manufacturers–in the latest issue of Enterprise Minnesota magazine.
The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry’s Youth Skills Training (YST) program gives high school students a real-world look at opportunities in manufacturing. Working with YST, school districts across the state develop classroom instruction and offer safety training, certifications, and industry-recognized credentials. YST also supports paid work experience and internships in high-demand, high-growth occupations.
YST programs vary across the state based on area manufacturing businesses and student interest. Our magazine highlights several of those programs, giving readers a glimpse of the opportunities available to both students and the manufacturers who might ultimately hire them.
Another program, SciTech, connects university and technical college students with local employers in need of STEM major interns. Since 2011, SciTech has connected 3,400 college students with internship opportunities in cities and towns across Minnesota.
SciTech offers wage reimbursement grants that allow manufacturers to hire STEM majors at a reduced cost. Companies and students often discover that they’re a great fit for each other, leading to full-time employment after graduation.
Piper Cleaveland, SciTech’s program director and only full-time staff member, emphasizes the breadth of disciplines involved in the program. “We work across multiple industries – from manufacturing and medical devices to solar technology and beyond,” she says.
Until this year, SciTech’s operating budget came largely from a state grant. This past legislative session they were denied $1 million, even with its track record of placing 255 students in STEM internships last year, and it’s on pace to place 325 this year.
The third program, SkillsUSA, is a nationwide competition designed to prepare high school and college students for careers in trade and technical fields. For the second consecutive year, six students from St. Cloud Technical & Community College (SCTCC) have competed and excelled at the local and state levels, earning the right to compete in the national competition in Atlanta.
Lori Kloos, SCTCC’s president, says SkillsUSA’s value stems from the preparation required to compete. “Students gain exposure to national industry standards, meet peers from across the country, and experience professional environments that prepare them for future workplace challenges.” SCTCC’s instructors devote significant time to mentoring and preparing students. Their dedication transforms technical education from mere “skill training” into a holistic personal and professional development experience.
To read more about each of these outstanding programs, check out the latest issue of Enterprise Minnesota magazine here.
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