The River Views

College’s Professional Training Receives $336,000 to Partner with Local Business for Training

Anoka-Ramsey Community College was recently awarded three new grants from the Minnesota Job Skills Partnership (MJSP) board totaling more than $336,000 to help state business develop their employees and stay competitive in the global marketplace.

The largest grant for $250,000, partners Anoka-Ramsey with MARCO, a St. Cloud-based company with 11 satellite locations throughout Minnesota. MARCO specializes in a variety of business communication services including data networking, voice communications, print solutions, document management, audio/video solutions, facility security, and managed services. From November 2011 through February 2014, Anoka-Ramsey will develop and provide training programs to 314 MARCO employees.

A new technology called TelePresence videoconferencing to reach employees at satellite locations will eliminate the need for travel. All employees will receive the same training to provide consistency and standardization to achieve company and grant goals, including: improved processes, elimination of waste, empowered employees and, continual culture improvement.

“We are excited about getting our entire workforce in Minnesota trained on the Lean 101 and Standard Work methodology,” says MARCO Vice President of Operations, Scott Roeder. “This grant will allow us to easily train employees at remote locations through TelePresence videoconferencing which reduces costs related to travel time and position coverage.”

Anoka-Ramsey and Sign-Zone, a Ramsey-based company manufacturing trade show displays and visual communication products, received a specialized training grant for $44, 047. From November 2011 through February 2013, Anoka-Ramsey will provide training programs for 100 Sign-Zone employees to develop organizational skills necessary to embrace and adapt to continuous change and continuous improvement.  This is the college’s second MJSP grant with Sign-Zone. The first grant provided training on individual skill enhancement.

“One of the specific areas of need is change management and adaptation to change,” says Sign-Zone President, John Bruellman. “Our business will only remain competitive in today’s world if our employees are comfortable with, and can embrace, change.”

“Our goal is to become the educational partner of the businesses we work with,” says Stephen Jones, Anoka-Ramsey Director of Professional Training and grant coordinator. “Our partnership with Sign-Zone illustrates this in action. We have become their educational partner, providing their employees the training they need to stay competitive.”

The third MJSP grant partners Anoka-Ramsey with Metro Mold and Design, Inc, a Rogers-based company specializing in molding, mold manufacturing and computer numerical control (CNC) machining. The $42,000 grant will allow Anoka-Ramsey to train 100 Metro employees in the technical areas of dimensional metrology, geometric dimensioning and tolerancing and statistical process control. It will also help with training in essential business skills, such as customer service and project management.

Since 1999 Anoka-Ramsey Community College has received more MJSP grants than any other institution, totaling 49 awards and nearly 9.5 million dollars in funding.

“These grants help our business partners grow and develop, while strengthening our economy and expanding the skills of Minnesota’s workforce,” says Anoka-Ramsey Executive Director of Professional Training, Sherry Wickstrom. “Grant funding also provides Professional Training the opportunity to conduct research and develop new educational programs to meet emerging training needs. Our Professional Training Directors, Stephen Jones and Eric Staupe, were the successful applicants and will serve as the grant managers.”

To learn more about these grants or other grants, visit call 763-433-1200 or visit www.AnokaRamsey.edu/Training.