Posted: December 12, 1997
Contact: Doug Anderson, doug.anderson@MinnState.edu, 651-201-1426
A high percentage of technical college graduates in Minnesota find work in their fields, according to a consumer report released jointly by the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities and the Minnesota Department of Economic Security.
Nearly 40 percent of the vocational and technical programs in state colleges reported 100 percent employment in their fields of study for the latest available year, 1995. The largest category of technical college graduates, nearly 2,300 in 1995, were in health fields.
"The exceptional graduate placement rates underscore that the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities have close ties to the businesses in their communities and they are training students for real jobs after they graduate," said Chancellor Morris Anderson. "We are constantly changing our mix of programs to meet market demands and not just training people for any job," Anderson said.
Minnesota Consumer Report on Vocational Technical College Programs provides the percentages of technical college graduates who find work in their fields of study by campus and by college program. The report is designed to help prospective technical college students make more informed career and education decisions.
"In light of Minnesota's current worker shortage, this type of information is invaluable in training workers in the skills employers need," said MDES Commissioner R. Jane Brown. "This report can aid smart career choices that help both employers and job seekers."
The consumer report is available as a reference document in high school and technical college counseling offices, community libraries and Minnesota Workforce Centers around the state. The report can also be found on the Internet: http://www.des.state.mn.us/lmi/consumer.
For more information contact Minnesota Department of Economic Security, Research and Statistics Office, at 612-296-6545.
The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system is the largest single provider of higher education in the state of Minnesota and includes technical colleges, community colleges, comprehensive community and technical colleges and state universities. The system has 53 campuses round the state and a campus in Akita, Japan. The MnSCU system serves approximately 145,000 students in the fall quarter and a total non-duplicated headcount for a full academic year of about 230,000 students.
The Minnesota Department of Economic Security (MDES) administers employment and training programs, including programs for persons with disabilities, within the state. In addition, it administers the reemployment insurance program, Job Service and the Workforce Center System, which provide seamless and comprehensive services for employers and job seekers. There are currently 35 Workforce Centers in the state, with more than 50 to be open by July 1998.
