PTCC celebrates manufacturing throughout the year, and October is Manufacturing Month in Minnesota! The demand for jobs in this career field remains high, and PTCC offers a variety of programs to prepare students for a successful career in these areas.

Explore Manufacturing Programs at PTCC

• Applied Engineering Technology
• Automated Systems Technology
• Automotive Technology
• Construction Technology
• Gunsmithing and Firearms Technology
• Precision Machining Technology
• Welding Technology

Statewide Manufacturing Tours

During October’s Manufacturing Month, manufacturers across the state open their doors to students, parents, and the general public, helping to inspire and recruit the next generation of manufacturing talent.

Tour a Manufacturer:

• Attend an in-person or virtual tour
• Learn about manufacturing careers
• Discover products made by manufacturers
• See what manufacturing offers today
• Experience the latest technologies

Learn more: https://www.statewidetour.mnmfg.org/

Beginning in Fall 2024, the North Star Promise (NSP) Scholarship program will create a tuition and fee-free pathway to higher education for eligible Minnesota Residents at eligible institutions.  The NSP scholarship is considered a “last-dollar” program by covering the balance of tuition and fees remaining after other scholarships, grants, stipends, and tuition waivers have been applied.

By making college accessible and affordable, NSP is intended to have a positive impact on multiple fronts:

• Help stabilize enrollment at Minnesota public institutions of higher education;
• Serve as an economic driver for Minnesota by educating qualified workers who are much needed to fill vacancies in the state’s labor force;
• Create a viable higher education path for Minnesota residents who may have previously thought education was not a possibility for them.

We estimate this program will impact 15,000-20,000 students in the first academic year.

Eligible students must:

• Be a Minnesota resident
• Have a family Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) below $80,000 (FAFSA or MN Dream Act application)
• Attend a Minnesota public higher education institution or Tribal College
• Not be in default on a state or federal student loan
• Meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards
• Have not already earned a baccalaureate degree
• Be enrolled in a program or course of study that applies to a degree, diploma, or certificate

Learn more

**This information was originally published in the Minnesota Office of Higher Education Monthly News Update for June 2023. 

Pine Technical and Community College has received notice that they will be the recipients of $21.4 million in funding toward a technical and trades lab addition and renovation as part of this session’s $2.6 billion bonding bill. Across the Minnesota State College system, colleges are receiving a total of $181 million.

The technical and trades lab addition and renovation will renovate 15,025 sq. feet and construct 25,000 sq. feet in the high demand programs such as healthcare, manufacturing and automotive technology. This project and planning began when PTCC received $635,000 in planning money from the legislature in 2020. The project is scheduled to begin next spring and progress the next 18 months.

College president, Joe Mulford, said that this is the single largest investment in career technical education in the region’s history. “Our area legislators were key to getting this finally funded,” he added. “Representative Nelson and Senator Rarick were unwavering in their support of building more career technical education opportunities in our region.”

Senator Jason Rarick said of the recent development, “This is such an important project for the area, and this expansion will give Pine Tech the room needed to train our future workforce in these much needed fields. I am so happy we have finally secured the funding to get this project going.”

What made the college a strong contender for the funding was that they are one of the few colleges in the state that has had positive enrollment numbers and are the only career and technical education college in the region. “This made us noticeable to our legislators,” said college media relations director, Katie Koppy.

This modernization and expansion project will create a more sustainable, comfortable and technologically advanced learning environment for current and future students, Koppy added. This project aids the college’s long-term growth strategy of serving and training more than 4,000 students a year. This project will improve access to critical workforce skills for east central Minnesota residents and students, while faculty and staff are able to strengthen the support offered to students through improved educational programs and services.

Congratulations to our Car/Truck Show winners

• Most Unique: Kelly Shea, 2002 Volkswagen Beetle
• People’s Choice: Mike Rancour, 1949 Chevrolet Pickup
• Best Paint: Rob Severson, 1947 Cadillac Sedan
• Best Modern: Dick Johnson, 2023 Chevy Corvette
• Best Classic: Mary Dorow, 1945 Willys MB

To view images from the event, visit https://qrco.de/ptcc-bbq.

Homeschool students and their families are invited to attend the 2023 Homeschool Day at Pine Technical & Community College on Wednesday, May 31. Learn more about PTCC programs, services, college credit in high school options, testing resources, and more!

The Automotive Technology program at Pine Technical and Community College (PTCC) in Pine City, MN has received ASE Training Program accreditation by the ASE Education Foundation.

Learn more

Pine Technical and Community College (PTCC) is thrilled to announce an exciting new scholarship for Mora High School students, Class of 2023 and Class of 2024.

Apply