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Education/Workforce Initiatives

Northeast Higher Education District

The IRRRB through its Workforce Development Program is collaborating in a comprehensive talent development strategy with the Northeast Higher District (NHED) www.nhed.edu and the district’s five community and technical colleges. The strategy focuses on creating, retaining and sustaining an educated and well-trained workforce within the region.

NHED colleges are: Hibbing Community College in Hibbing; Itasca Community College in Grand Rapids; Mesabi Range Community & Technical College in Virginia; Rainy River Community College in International Falls; and Vermilion Community College in Ely.NHED’s mission is to provide quality higher education to communities across northeastern Minnesota by developing a regional structure that preserves the autonomy of each college, but also aligns programs and services to better prepare residents for learning, employment, citizenship, and life.Collaboration between the IRRRB and NHED assists in aligning educational programs at all five colleges with the workforce needs of regional industries.

 Community and Technical Colleges

• Hibbing Community College, Hibbing 
• Itasca Community College, Grand Rapids 
• Mesabi Range Community & Technical College, Virginia and Eveleth
• Rainy River Community College, International Falls
• Vermilion Community College, Ely

Applied Learning Institute

About 1500 northeastern Minnesota high school students in 17 school districts are receiving innovative hands-on training and technology learning through the Applied Learning Institute.  The Applied Learning Institute was formed in 2006 as a collaborative between area school districts and five community and technical colleges to enhance the curriculum of northeastern Minnesota high schools.  The goal is to create highly-trained, knowledgeable workers who are equipped with the technical and problem-solving skills needed by all employers.  For complete information on the Applied Learning Institute, visit www.alimn.org

Applied Learning Institute partners are:

• Northeastern Minnesota school districts
• Northeast Higher Education District
• Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation Board 
• Range Association of Municipalities and Schools
• Minnesota Center for Engineering and Manufacturing Excellence

Iron Range Engineering

There’s not an engineering program in the nation like Iron Range Engineering.

In the fall of 2009, the Iron Range Engineering Program http://www.arrowheadu.com/a/j/iron-range-engineering was launched under a partnership with Minnesota State University, Mankato. Students who have successfully completed a two-year pre-engineering program or the prescribed courses can enroll in the program and earn a four-year Bachelor of Science engineering degree on the Iron Range through Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Instead of participating in the traditional classroom settings of third and fourth year engineering studies, Iron Range Engineering students receive hands-on learning from professional engineers at mining, vendor or energy generation companies in northeastern Minnesota.

Iron Range Engineering students gain technical, professional knowledge and competencies by participating in industry-sponsored, project-based learning.

While the program is headquartered at Mesabi Range Community & Technical College in Virginia, students spend a significant amount of time in the field, gaining skills by working side-by-side with professional engineers at actual economic development projects. Five iron ore mines, two power generation power plants, a wind turbine farm, two paper mills, a proposed precious metals mine and a proposed steel mill, are located within a short distance of the program.

More than a half dozen northeastern Minnesota businesses and companies are partners in Iron Range Engineering along with the IRRRB, Applied Learning Institute, Northeast Higher Education District, and Minnesota Center for Engineering and Manufacturing (MNCEME).

In recognition of innovative learning programming, Iron Range Engineering received the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities 2010 Excellence in Curriculum Programming Award.
 

New Programs

Five new programs designed to meet the needs of regional industry are being launched at NHED colleges under a partnership of the Iron Range Higher Education Committee, IRRRB and NHED.

Beginning in the fall of 2011, Industrial Technology, Process Automation, Industrial Lab Technician, Industrial Construction and Information Management, will be offered at individual NHED campuses. Each of the programs is designed in consultation with regional industries, seeking well-trained workers to fill their future workforce requirements.

In the renewable energy sector, each of the five NHED colleges is offering programs that train students for jobs in the renewable energy industry.

Renewable energy programs offered are: Industrial Wind Energy (Mesabi Range Community & Technical College); Power Generation (Itasca Community College); Residential Solar (Hibbing Community College); Green and Sustainable Energy (Rainy River Community College); and Geothermal Energy (Vermilion Community College).