[ST. PAUL, MN] – Today, Governor Tim Walz announced the 2021 Youth Skills Training grants—a total of eleven partnerships across the state to develop and implement paid-learning opportunities for students 16 years of age and older.

The grants are part of a Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry’s Youth Skills Training (YST@DLI) program, which was signed into law in 2017 with bipartisan support to create and provide employment training for student learners ages 16 and older in high-growth, high-demand occupations.

“Youth Skills Training grants give Minnesota students hands-on training in the high-demand fields of advanced manufacturing, agriculture, automotive, health care, and information technology,” said Governor Walz. “Our state needs talented professionals in these high-growth fields, and these innovative partnerships create career pathways for younger Minnesotans while powering our future.”

“Minnesota’s students are our future, and by focusing on hands-on training, safety, real-world experience, the Youth Skills Training program sets our students up for career-long success in fields that are growing fast,” said Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan.

“These grants allow high schools, businesses, and community organizations to work together to train students and create skilled workers for their communities,” said Department of Labor and Industry Commissioner Roslyn Robertson.

YST@DLI grants will be awarded to the following eleven partnerships, which will receive and split $1 million in funding. The partnerships represent over 30 school districts and more than 80 employer partners in advanced manufacturing, agriculture, automotive, health care, and information technology.

• American Nursing and Technical Institute

• Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Minnesota

• Burnsville Public Schools

• Eastern Carver County Schools

• Elk River Area Schools

• Hibbing Public Schools

• Hutchinson Public Schools

•Marvin and Warroad High School

• Southeast Service Cooperative

• White Bear Lake Area Schools

• Winona Area Chamber of Commerce

Grants can be used to create programs, recruit students and employers, provide training, transport students, and pay for student certifications.

Twenty-five local partnerships throughout the state applied for this fourth round of grants. These partnerships involve more than 70 school districts and 146 employers in five different industries. A fifth round of grant applications will open in fall 2021.