SF 3624

1st Engrossment - 92nd Legislature (2021 - 2022) Posted on 04/05/2022 09:53am

A bill for an act
relating to economic development; appropriating money for grants to the Owatonna
Learn to Earn Coalition to help the Owatonna and Steele County region grow and
retain a talented workforce.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1. new text begin APPROPRIATION; DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT AND
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT; OWATONNA LEARN TO EARN COALITION.
new text end

new text begin $20,000 in fiscal year 2023 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of employment and economic development for a grant to the Owatonna Learn to Earn
Coalition to conduct a comprehensive local needs assessment to examine current and future
workforce needs in the region. The coalition shall retain a consultant and utilize state
demographer resources to involve education, business, and community stakeholders to guide
the high school's career pathways, the college's programs of study, and the business's support
of work-based learning programs that help them recruit, develop, and retain a vibrant
workforce to keep the regional economy strong. This is a onetime appropriation and is
available until June 30, 2024.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATION; OFFICE OF HIGHER EDUCATION; OWATONNA
LEARN TO EARN COALITION.
new text end

new text begin $980,000 in fiscal year 2023 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of higher education for a grant to the Owatonna Learn to Earn Coalition to help the Owatonna
and Steele County region grow and retain a talented workforce. This is a onetime
appropriation and is available until June 30, 2024. Of this amount:
new text end

new text begin (1) $900,000 is to develop educational learning spaces with state-of-the-art equipment
and student support services in high-demand career pathway programs. Of this amount,
$306,000 is to equip the new Owatonna High School's Industrial Technology classrooms
with state-of-the-art equipment to introduce students to high-skill, high-wage, technical
careers, and $594,000 is to equip the Owatonna Riverland Community College Campus
with state-of-the-art instructional equipment to offer credit and noncredit technical programs
in automation robotics engineering technology and information technology; and
new text end

new text begin (2) $80,000 is to create learn to earn opportunities for students and employers by engaging
employers in the Owatonna community to offer tuition reimbursement or scholarships and
part-time work and school schedules to employees who agree to continue their education
while working for them.
new text end