I've had the pleasure of working with the Minnesota Service Cooperatives (MSC) as they collaborate with workforce, education, and industry partners to advance career and technical education(CTE) for all students across Minnesota. Facilitating and coordinating this collaborative project has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career and here are just a few examples of why...
Students all across Minnesota taking part in real-world experiences to inform their pathways and prepare them for future careers. Students like Lily from Hibbing, MN who gained an internship at Ford Motors or Aidan and Treydon from Wabsso, MN who took part in a Diesel Mechanics class and job shadows with Kibble Equipment.
Students like the 11 students from Nevis, MN who became the first in the state to earn boiler licenses while still in high school with the help of North Country Vocational Cooperative Center, a member of the MSC CTE Consortium.
Students taking part in career academies like those offered through South Central Service Cooperative and their higher education and industry partners. Academies are creating pathways for students in fields like health care, IT, education, and more!
Middle schoolers exploring themselves and career fields through Metier - an experiential learning program being implemented across MN in the coming year.
Employers are learning how to engage in career-connected learning and it's paying off - helping to keep youth in our rural regions as identified by the Center for Rural Policy and Development's recent research.
CTE Teachers are key to student awareness of and preparation for the future of our students. That's why the MSCs have served over 300 teachers through Lakes Country Service Cooperative's licensure, induction, and mentoring programs. We are also building on the success of Resource Training & Solutions' Teacher Externship Program and Sourcewell's Career Pathways Program.
Over $1.5 million has been provided to high schools across MN in the past year alone to advance CTE courses and Career-connected Learning. Need ideas for how your school can innovate and create impact? Visit LYFT Pathways and the Century Program.
There are so many more examples I could share. The intentionality of the MSC CTE Consortium as they build relationships and collaborate to advance opportunities for all students is truly amazing and I am proud to be supporting this work. As Amy Grover, Associate Director with the Southeast Service Cooperative says, "This is one of the most positive, promising, collaborative statewide committees that I've participated in over the last 20 years." I hope you find as much inspiration from the examples above as I do!