North Dakota State College of Science

NEWS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 23, 2009

Contact: Don Canton or Brandi Pelham
701.328.2200

HOEVEN PRESENTS HALF MILLION DOLLAR CHECK
TO NDSCS FOR DIESEL TECHNOLOGY AND MACHINE TOOLING PROGRAMS
Total private, public funds exceed $1 million

BISMARCK, ND - Gov. Hoeven today presented North Dakota State College of Science with two Workforce Enhancement Grants totaling $520,000. The grants will help expand the college’s diesel technology curriculum and the machine tooling program and will be leveraged with $636,000 in private sector matching funds for a total of more than $1.1 million.

“These two programs help educate and train people for occupations that are in high demand in our state,” Gov. John Hoeven said. “By expanding the diesel technology and machine tooling programs, we are increasing the capacity of our higher ed institutions like NDSCS to provide a consistent pipeline of well-trained workers educated right here in North Dakota.”

This Workforce Enhancement Grant program was established by the 2007 Legislature as an adjunct to the Centers of Excellence program to fund workforce training initiatives.

A $260,000 grant will prepare new workers for the transportation and construction industry by enhancing the diesel technology curriculum to meet the latest emissions and electronic control technologies. The grant covers the cost of software, equipment, instructor certification and student recruitment. The project was industry-driven and guided by recommendations from the transportation and construction industry.

Another $260,000 grant will cover the cost of equipment and student recruitment for automating the precision machining project. The machine tooling program will be expanded by imbedding automation into the machining curriculum to provide training to entry-level workers and incumbent workers. The project was industry driven and guided by recommendations form the NDSCS partners Productivity, Inc. and Haas Technical Center Education Council. Equipment and in-kind match will be provided by Manufacturing Industry Employers.

“This is the culmination of a collaborative effort at its best,” said John Richman, Ph.D., NDSCS president. “These funds will benefit NDSCS students, our business partners and ultimately our local and state economies.”

Workforce Enhancement Grants are a tool for two-year institutions of higher education to apply for funds to help create or enhance training programs that address workforce needs of private sector employers in North Dakota. Projects require private sector participation and a dollar-for-dollar match of all state money with private funds. The North Dakota Department of Commerce Workforce Development Division oversees the grants.

Grant funding may be used for curriculum development, equipment, recruitment of participants and training and certification of instructors. Funds may not be used to supplant funding for current operations.

A Workforce Enhancement Council, consisting of the private sector membership of the North Dakota Workforce Development Council, the state director of the Department of Career & Technical Education and the Division Director of the workforce development division of the ND Department of Commerce who serves as the Chair, reviews all proposals and provides funding recommendations to the Commissioner, ND Department of Commerce.

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