Students in technical education programs could find a shorter path into the workforce, under a bill approved by a House committee.
Sponsored by Rep. Joe Mullery (DFL-Mpls),
HF2499 would require the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system to study ways that students in technical programs could earn work credentials with fewer credits. Students could be more quickly certified to work in their fields, while still earning credits that could apply to a degree later on.
Mullery said the idea is to create a “ladder” to help people, especially in minority communities, work their way up through college programs while also establishing a career.
“They can get to work with the certificate and then build the ladder and go up — first to livable wage jobs and then to much better jobs later,” Mullery said.
The House Finance Committee approved the bill March 22 and sent it to the House floor. A companion,
SF3247, sponsored by Sen. Ken Kelash (DFL-Mpls), awaits action by the Senate Higher Education Committee.
The bill would direct MnSCU to collaborate with the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, labor unions and representatives of industry groups on the study, and report back to the Legislature by Feb. 15, 2011.
JoAnn Simser, MnSCU’s state director for career and technical education, testified in support of the bill, and said MnSCU is already working on “a number of initiatives that support this effort.”
Committee Chairman Rep. Lyndon Carlson, Sr. (DFL-Crystal) told Simser he has heard complaints about some community and technical colleges closing down programs because not enough students in them are earning degrees, even though they’re getting the required work credentials. Simser responded that MnSCU would look into the issue.
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