State Leaders to Tour Dakota County Technical College Bonding Project Thursday

 

Sandy Connolly, Director of Communications
Office of Higher Education
(651) 259-3902

ST. PAUL--Governor Mark Dayton's higher education bonding bill continues to be the focus of a statewide tour, with visits this week at campuses in Rosemount and Moorhead.

Larry Pogemiller, Commissioner of the Office of Higher Education (OHE), and Commissioner Katie Clark Sieben from the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), will be at Dakota County Technical College today to highlight one of the Governor's recommendations.

The Governor has recommended $7.6 million to complete the Transportation and Emerging Technologies project at Dakota County Technical College. The renovation will create common instructional spaces and multiuse classrooms for the heavy truck program, heavy construction equipment program and new emerging technology programs.

"Over the next decade, Minnesota is projected to add 52,000 new jobs in the trade, transportation, and utilities sectors," said Governor Mark Dayton. "Now is the time to make investments in our higher education institutions to properly train Minnesota's workforce for these good-paying jobscareers that will build and support the infrastructure that powers our state's growing economy. I strongly support these renovations at Dakota Community and Technical College, and urge the Legislature to make this project a priority this session."

"More than 95 percent of the graduates from DCTC's transportation and technical programs find jobs in their field within six months of graduation," said Pogemiller. "This is a strategic investment that not only puts people to work, it also strengthens the college's partnership with business and industry."

"Our highly-educated and productive workforce is our strongest asset in Minnesota, and we must continue to provide learning environments for continued growth," said DEED Commissioner Katie Clark Sieben. "The proposed funding for Dakota Community and Technical College will support the instructional space that students need to prepare for the jobs of the future."

On Friday, Pogemiller and Clark Sieben will be at Minnesota State Community and Technical College in Moorhead to visit their Transportation Center.

Additional visits include Minnesota State CollegeSoutheast Technical in Red Wing, Winona State University and a two-day tour visit at colleges on the Iron Range, among others.

Governor Dayton's Capital Investment bill includes $233 million for higher education projects at the University of Minnesota and MnSCU campuses.

For more information, contact Sandy Connolly at the Minnesota Office of Higher Education, 651-2590-3902, cell phone 651-341-6617 or by email at sandy.connolly@state.mn.us, or Madeline Koch at DEED, 651-259-7236, cell phone 651-398-9459 or by email at madeline.koch@state.mn.us.