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Hennepin Technical College receives national award for innovation

Hennepin Technical College logo

Minneapolis, July 22, 2019 -- Hennepin Technical College (HTC) and its foundation have received the 2019 Innovation of the Year Award from the League for Innovation in the Community College, an organization which celebrates outstanding leadership at community colleges nationwide.

The award recognized the collaboration between the college and the Hennepin Technical College Foundation for their success in launching ongoing initiatives that prepare students for the workplace.

Among the new programs, the college worked with businesses to create unique internships so that students will receive hands-on experience in their chosen fields of study. Industry partners include Aspen Equipment, Boston Scientific, Climatech and Design Ready Controls (DRC). Participating companies worked with the college to create a work-based learning model for students. 

“By advancing our partnerships with industry, we’ve created intentional workforce pathways for students who are pursuing careers in the trades,” said Nairobi Abrams, chief advancement and communications officer, Hennepin Technical College. “Students are making progress on their degrees while earning an income and gaining valuable skills.”

The students are working in internships in a variety of fields, such as engineering, plastics extrusion technology, industrial building maintenance and machine tool technology.

In addition to earning a salary, each intern receives a scholarship with a minimum award of $2,000, which is provided by the participating company. At the conclusion of the internship, students may have the opportunity to pursue full-time employment.

HTC continually seeks new ways to help students overcome barriers to complete their education and join the workforce in a sustaining career. The college ranks in the top 30 institutions nationally for awarding the most associate degrees for women and minorities in engineering fields.

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About Hennepin Technical College

Founded in 1972, Hennepin Technical College (HTC) is the largest stand-alone technical college in Minnesota. With campuses in Brooklyn Park and Eden Prairie, the college has a diverse student population of more than 18,000 and offers degree and non-degree coursework in over 45 programs. Achieving a 97% job placement rate, HTC prepares students for in-demand and high-paying employment opportunities. HTC is a member of Minnesota State, which includes 30 colleges and seven state universities. For more information, visit HennepinTech.edu.

 

Media contact: Lisa Kiava, 763-276-5777, lisa.kiava@hennepintech.edu

Last updated by mdibba : 2022-07-21 07:23:31