Welding program offers fresh start

After just four weeks of training, Melissa Hirsch is poised to make a fresh start. Hirsch completed a four-week welding course that was part of a MN-DEED Pathways to Prosperity (P2P) grant sponsored by Pine Technical & Community College - Employment and Training Center. She's now employed full-time as a welder at Premier Pontoon, earning a great wage and making a better life for her family.

  “I never thought after a four-week class I would be able to get a job and have the pay start as high as it did,” Hirsch said.

  As a single mom recovering from addiction, Hirsch knew she needed to create a new opportunity for herself and her son, but didn't want to be in school for great length of time.

  “I was in childcare, and started doing some tree service and construction and realized I liked hard labor kind of work,” Hirsch, currently a Forest Lake resident, said.

  Not afraid to work with her hands, Hirsch began looking for options, and heard about the four-week welding program at PTCC. Although the length of the program and promise of a high wage made it an attractive option, Hirsch was apprehensive.

  "I had no prior knowledge of welding," Hirsch admits. "I didn't know the tools or the terminology, but the instructor made me feel comfortable."

  "I think it helped that the instructor was a female," Hirsch continued. "When I first started, I had self-doubt. I was intimidated by blue printing reading and not having knowledge of tools. She started from the beginning to explain things, and I didn’t have to feel awkward asking questions."

  Hirsch also found support with the Career Navigator, Kris Hanson.

  "The support of Kris and everyone there – I knew they were all rooting for me. Kris went above and beyond to give resources. Not just career, but also housing assistance as well," she said.

  “Melissa has grown since I first began working with her,” Hanson said. “Learning a trade, landing a great job—these things are more than just a paycheck to women like Melissa. Her confidence has grown. She’s proven she’s not afraid of hard work, and she has found success.”

  Hirsch did have to work hard to find a job, and some of the companies she contacted didn't call. But Hirsch didn't give up. She's now working at Premier Pontoon, earning a great wage that allows for financial stability.

  "Hard work always shows," Hirsch said. "I never thought I would be at this point, be this successful. I now have successful career and can care for my son."

Pine Technical & Community College Named to Victory Media’s 2017 Military Friendly® Schools List

Pine Technical & Community College announced today that it has earned the 2017 Military Friendly® School designation by Victory Media, publisher of G.I. Jobs®, STEM Jobs SM, and Military Spouse. First published in 2009, Military Friendly® Schools is the most comprehensive, powerful resource for veterans today. Each year, the list of Military Friendly® Schools is provided to service members and their families, helping them select the best college, university, or trade school to receive the education and training needed to pursue a civilian career.


“We’re very honored by this distinction, because it continues to validate our efforts to help veterans achieve their education goals,” said PTCC President Joe Mulford. “After the sacrifices our veterans and active service members make, we’re proud to give back.”


Institutions earning the Military Friendly® School designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from Victory Media’s proprietary survey. More than 1,600 schools participated in the 2017 survey; 1,160 were awarded with the designation. Ratings methodology, criteria, and weightings were determined by Victory Media with input from the Military Friendly® Advisory Council of independent leaders in the higher education and military recruitment community. Final ratings were determined by combining the institution’s survey scores with the assessment of the institution’s ability to meet thresholds for Student Retention, Graduation, Job Placement, Loan Repayment, Persistence (Degree Advancement or Transfer) and Loan Default rates for all students and, specifically, for student veterans. 


According to Daniel Nichols, a Navy Reserve veteran and Chief Product Officer at Victory Media, “Our ability to apply a clear, consistent standard to the majority of colleges gives veterans a comprehensive view of which schools are striving to provide the best opportunities and conditions for our nation’s student veterans. Military Friendly® helps military families make the best use of the Post-9/11 GI Bill and other federal benefits while allowing us to further our goal of assisting them in finding success in their chosen career fields.”

For more information about Pine Technical & Community College’s commitment to attracting and supporting military students, visit PTCC’s website at http://www.pine.edu/student-services/veterans-center. PTCC will be showcased along with other 2017 Military Friendly® Schools in the annual Guide to Military Friendly® Schools, special education issues of G.I. Jobs® and Military Spouse Magazine, and on militaryfriendly.com.

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$150K grant provides Pathways to Prosperity for PTCC students

A Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development grant will provide more than $150,000 for low income Minnesotans seeking education and training in high demand career fields. The MN Pathways to Prosperity (P2P) grant was awarded to Pine Technical & Community College’s Employment and Training Center, to serve residents of Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs and Pine Counties.

 

The P2P grant will provide training, and support services to qualified individuals who are interested in nursing assistant, welding or production technology. Each are short-term courses that provide incumbent workers with the skills to land a good-paying job in a high-demand field.

 

“With a 25 year history of serving the region, this is a good fit for us,” said Dwayne Green, ETC’s executive director. “It’s in line with our mission of helping people find not just a job, but a career.”

 

“Our mission at Pine Technical & Community College is to help people wherever they’re at,” said PTCC President Joe Mulford. “Whether you’re starting out or starting over, PTCC will help you reach your goals. And this grant provides an opportunity for those who might not be able to afford a college education, or those who need to get in a good-paying career in a short time frame. We’re very proud to be working with ETC to provide this opportunity to our community.”

 

Green is excited for this grant because it provides additional support for participants. “This is a little bit different than other grants, in that it’s more comprehensive. It provides training, but there’s also a case management component to help people with job skills and job searches.”

 

The grant will provide funds in three stages, including summer semester, fall semester and spring semester. Participants in the grant can start some of the classes as early as May 31, when PTCC’s summer semester begins. Individuals are interested in participating in the grant can contact Kris Hanson at 320.629.4568 or email hansonk@pine.edu.

PTCC Confers Class of 2016

Pine Technical & Community College conferred more than 230 degrees, diplomas and certificates, honoring the graduates for their accomplishments and contributions to both the college and the community.

 

As Chief Student Affairs Officer Paula Hoffman welcomed the graduates, and their families and friends, she shared a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt, “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams,” and spoke of how the graduates are realizing their dreams and taking the next step on their journey.

 

Student Senate President echoed those sentiments, recognizing the motivation that led each graduate to this day, and urging them to think of graduation as a beginning, not as an end.

“Your college and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Board of Trustees will never stop expecting great things from you,” remarked Trustee Thomas Renier.

 

Providing the commencement address, Rep. Jason Rarick told the graduates, “Minnesota continues to face a workforce shortage, and you are answering the call. The skills you have learned at Pine Technical & Community College are cutting edge. You are contributing to the economic health of the state.”

 

President Joe Mulford, presiding over commencement for his first time as president of the college, conferred the graduates, reminding them to take pride in their accomplishments as the college takes pride in each and every graduate and the contributions they’ll make to the community.

Pine Technical & Community College now offers MMSC training courses

Motorcyclists, or those looking to get their motorcycle endorsement, have a new training site to go to for Minnesota Motorcycle Safety Center rider courses. Pine Technical and Community College in Pine City, Minn. started offering the Basic Rider Course, Intermediate Rider Course and Moped Rider Training this season.

Last year, 61 motorcyclists were killed in 57 crashes on Minnesota roads, according to preliminary reports. That’s up from 46 fatalities in 2014. Thirty-three of those crashes were single-vehicle, involving only the motorcycle. All of these crashes are preventable.

Training is vital to motorcycle safety. The Basic Rider Course helps riders with no experience learn essential motorcycle control skills and earn their motorcycle license. The Intermediate Rider Course helps riders build upon their existing skills and help turn them into better riders. Courses start running in May.

Why take the Basic Rider Course?

• Riders can get a license and learn essential motorcycle control skills in one course.
• It’s designed for beginning riders with no previous riding experience and helps returning riders.
• It’s thorough: Riders spend 4.5 hours learning motorcycle basics in the classroom and 10 hours practicing and mastering basic rider techniques on the range.

Why take the Intermediate Rider Course?

• It covers skills crucial to safety: Control, finesse, counter steering, cornering, swerving and braking.
• It’s affordable: The course is $55 for five hours of riding time.
• Practice makes perfect: This is a great opportunity to tune up your skills early on in the riding season.
• It opens the door for more advanced courses: After you master the Intermediate Rider Course, the MN Advanced and Expert Rider Courses are next on the list. These courses will turn you into an expert rider, using the same techniques designed to train and keep police motor officers safe in any riding or traffic situation.

How do Riders sign up?

• Riders can sign up for training courses by calling Dawn Sandberg at 320.629.5176
• You will find the complete rider training course schedule for PTCC online at:   http://www.pine.edu/departments/continuing-education-and-customized-training/motorcycle-and-moped-safety-training

Alexis Grinde PTCC’s Outstanding Educator

Biology instructor Dr. Alexis Grinde, has been named Pine Technical and Community College’s Outstanding Educator based on nominations by students, faculty peers, and staff members. Grinde is one of 30 across the state to have earned the title – the others having earned the nomination from their respective MnSCU institutions. Grinde, with other MnSCU nominees, was recognized in a statewide ceremony in April.

 The Outstanding Educator designation recognizes the exceptional commitment that each of the nominees have demonstrated in teaching, in their continuous professional development and in their service to students, the college, profession and the MnSCU system.

 Grinde was honored to be nominated by her peers and students. "Biology is an intimidating subject for the majority of students," Grinde said. "It is truly humbling to be nominated as an outstanding educator by past and present students; it shows me that my approach to teaching biology is helping students be successful in reaching their educational goals."

 Grinde teaches a variety of biology classes at Pine including Health and Disease in the Human Body, Microbiology, Human Anatomy and Physiology and Nutrition and Wellness. In her nomination, Grinde was named a trailblazer when it comes to classroom innovations, because she embraces varied and effective teaching strategies that cater to students' different learning styles. Her nomination also noted her expertise in successfully engaging students makes her an invaluable resource to them and her campus colleagues. 

 “Alexis is so deserving of this award,” said Joan Bloemendaal-Gruett, chief academic officer at Pine. “She strives for excellence both in and outside of the classroom. Her commitment to her students and to her field is commendable.”

$39,700 grant supports student emergency fund at Pine Technical & Community College

Pine Technical & Community College now has additional resources to help low-income students weather financial emergencies. Students can apply for small grants to help cover expenses just beyond their means, which allows them to quickly return focus to their academic pursuits.

 

“Many of our students face unexpected expenses that can often result in them having to put their education, and ultimately their opportunities for a better future, on hold,” said Dean of Student Affairs Paula Hoffman. “The emergency grant helps our students keep their education on track in dire circumstances. In the event they don’t qualify for the grant, we’re still able to connect the student to community resources they would not have known about if they hadn’t come in to discuss the grant.”

 

The student emergency grant program at PTCC is made possible by a $39,700 Dash emergency grant from Great Lakes Higher Education Guaranty Corporation. PTCC is one of 31 community and technical colleges in Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin that received a combined $1.5 million in Great Lakes grants to build emergency grant programs that help low-income students overcome financial obstacles that might otherwise cause them to drop out.

 

“Great Lakes is pleased to provide more resources to colleges like Pine Technical & Community College that are dedicated to supporting students in times of greatest need,” said Richard D. George, President and Chief Executive Officer of Great Lakes. “Emergency grants are a bridge to college completion and the financial security a degree can provide.”

 

PTCC began making student emergency grants of up to $500 each in spring 2016. Qualified expenses are paid within 48 hours of an approved application. Students also are referred to additional campus, community and financial literacy resources to supplement the grants, address root causes or contributing factors to the financial emergencies and further support students’ persistence.

 

To serve greater numbers of students throughout the Great Lakes grant period and beyond, PTCC will contribute matching funds during the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 academic years. “Our shared commitment is key to making emergency grant programs sustainable long-term,” said Amy Kerwin, Vice President – Community Investments at Great Lakes.

 

The Pine Technical & Community College Foundation pledged a year one match of $4,000 and $8,000 for year two.  

 

To date, more than $6,100 has been awarded to 13 students since the program began in March.

 

One student faced an unexpected medical expense that put her at risk of having her electricity disconnected. “I had to choose between electric or a medical expense. With the help I was able to continue my journey at Pine Technical and Community College without the added stress that come with a pending doom of disconnection of my electric.”

 

Great Lakes will provide a maximum of $6,700 to PTCC during the pilot period of the grant. With funds from Great Lakes and matching funds from the PTCC Foundation, $20,000 will be available in each of years one and two of the grant.

Skills that Launch -- CNC operator training coming soon

CNC operator training is ideal for working individuals looking to upgrade their skills!
Students will get hands-on training with CNC 3-axis mill and CNC 2-axis lathe. Just 60 hours in-lab and 20 hours in-class, and you'll be ready to launch into a great career! 

 

Pine Technical & Community College named to Military Times 20 Best for Vets

SFC Troy Erickson, Veterans’ Center student worker Daniel Sawatzky, Veterans’ Club student president Haven Badrawi, Veterans' Club faculty advisor Chris Morgan and PTCC president Joe Mulford.

PINE CITY, Minn. – Pine Technical & Community College is proud to be included in Military Times Best for Vets: Career and Technical Colleges 2016 rankings. PTCC was ranked number 17, one of only two Minnesota schools to earn a spot in the top 20 career and technical colleges.

 The organization, made up of Army Times, Navy Times, Air Force Times and Marine Corps Times, focused on culture and curriculum that caters to military veterans when conducting and scoring the annual survey of schools that self-identify as career and technical colleges.

 “We’re very honored by this distinction, because it continues to validate our efforts to help veterans achieve their education goals,” said PTCC President Joe Mulford. “After the sacrifices our veterans and active service members make, we’re proud to give back.”

 “This is an important distinction because it shows that the college not only cares about their veteran students, but care enough to share what they are doing in hopes of making it better on a national scale,” said Chris Morgan, a veteran who is now PTCC’s Cyber-Security instructor and Veteran’s Club faculty advisor. “The Military Times website is a one-stop-shop for not only active duty, but all veterans from all branches to find out the latest information that effects them and their benefits.”

 As with all of the Best for Vets rankings, Best for Vets: Career & Technical Colleges is an editorially independent news project that evaluates the many factors that make an institution a good fit for military veterans. Career and technical colleges respond to the same Best for Vets: Colleges survey as two-year institutions on up.  The survey tool is a highly respected analysis of a college’s complete offerings for veterans.

It’s not just the items measured in the survey that make PTCC a veteran-friendly school, according to Morgan. “I can sum it up with one word -- attitude. As a 26 year Air Force retiree, I never expected the treatment I received when I first started here at PTCC. I was welcomed with open arms and treated like I was family,” Morgan said. “My transition to civilian life was not easy. I have numerous deployments and years spent away from my family. I joined when I was 17 years old and the military was all I ever knew. The administration and staff at PTCC understood that and became like a second family to me almost right away. It is this “attitude” that has led PTCC to receive this distinction, I have no doubt.”

 “It’s the people like Shawn Reynolds (financial aid director and veteran’s coordinator) and Paula Hoffman (dean of students) that ensure this program is meeting the veterans’ needs to ensure current and future success,” Morgan continued.

Pine Technical & Community College has an active Veteran’s Center and Veteran’s Club on campus. In addition, admissions and financial aid staff can assist veterans identify and claim their education benefits. For more information about PTCC’s programs, including information regarding how to apply call 320-629-5100 or online at www.pine.edu.

From “middle of nowhere” to great career in 8 months

Like a lot of individuals living in rural Minnesota, James Swanson wasn’t aware that he could get a great education close to home. Swanson, who says he lives “in the middle of nowhere” found a world of opportunity right outside his backdoor.

Tired of working minimum wage jobs, Swanson came to Pine Technical & Community College looking for a degree he could finish quickly, without a lot of debt. After meeting with Education and Employment Advisor Kris Hanson, he learned about PTCC’s online welding technology certificate offered through the 360 eTech consortium.

While most of the core and technical courses are held online, Swanson completed the hands-on lab work at Lake Superior College in Duluth. The labs were held over the weekend, allowing students to continue working throughout the duration of the certificate programs.

 “It kind of blew my mind, that the certificate was so close and so cheap,” he said. The certificate is just 30 credits, and only $187 per credit. Plus, the online courses offered him an opportunity to work at his own pace, allowing him to complete the entire certificate in just eight months. When he graduates, he’ll have less than $3,000 debt.

“I took 15 of the 30 credits in one semester,” Swanson said. He worked with Hanson to determine how to best handle his course load, making sure he wasn’t taking on too much. In the end, he was able to accomplish his goals and found he even liked the math courses. “It was surprising to me how much I liked the math. When it clicks, it feels good.”

“I’m really proud of him,” Hanson said. “He has such a positive attitude, and he’s a hard worker.”

And that hard work has paid off. Swanson completes his certificate this month, and he already has job prospects lined up.

“Between the quality of the classes and how fast you can get through the program, I would definitely recommend this to anyone else,” Swanson said.

In addition to welding technology, 360 eTech offers certificate programs in production technologies, automation technologies and machine technologist. Military students may have training in their military transcripts that can be counted toward course credit.

To learn more about the 360 degrees offered at Pine Technical & Community College, please see our 360 webpage. Or contact Student Affairs at 320.629.5100 or email admissions@pine.edu.

Pine Innovation Center welcomes first tenant

Tanner Liubakka, Glenn Liubakka, Joe Mulford, Jason Spaeth

Pine Technical and Community College is pleased to introduce the first tenant of the Pine Innovation Center, E^Z Box Electrical System Solutions, to the community. The family-owned business began operations in January with CEO Glenn Liubakka and Tanner Liubakka, president of sales and business development, setting the groundwork for the operation.
 

Liubakka’s family-owned and operated business will produce a product that Liubakka hopes will have an impact on the electrical construction industry. E^Z Box will target electrical contractors with outlet, switch and light boxes that provide stud wire protectors and do not require special tools for installation. Once the company reaches full production, Liubakka estimates they will employ more than 200, and the company will stay in the area.

 

“One of our goals is to give back to the area,” Liubakka said. “When we graduate from the Pine Innovation Center, we will remain in the community. We also want to give local investors the opportunity to invest at the ground level.”

 

During the start-up phase of the operation, Liubakka and his son Tanner have been pursuing an aggressive schedule to get a prototype to market by spring. They’re also creating org charts for each phase of the business, which provides Tanner, who is currently seeking a business management degree, a unique educational experience.

 

“I’m learning how to start a business from the ground up,” he said. From researching and writing position descriptions for every role on the org chart to helping to build the company’s website, Tanner recognizes this first-hand experience is something he couldn’t get in a classroom.

 

“That’s really the unique thing about having a business incubator on a college campus,” said PTCC President Joe Mulford. “You can work in the office, and then run over to campus for a class, and Customized Training is right down the hall.” PTCC’s Continuing Education and Customized Training is housed in the Pine Innovation Center.

 

“E^Z Box is really a good fit for the college and its programs,” said Jason Spaeth, PTCC’s dean of Continuing Education and Customized Training and executive director of the Pine Innovation Center. Liubakka is able to access expertise from the college’s IT department, as well as use plastics and manufacturing equipment and assistance from faculty and students. They can also consider student internships for accounting and business technology students.

 

While having education and training opportunities just around the corner and access to resources is certainly a great benefit to a new business, it’s only part of what drew Liubakka to PTCC’s business incubator.

 

Start-ups with business incubator support generally have an 87% success rate, according to the National Business Incubation Association. The lower rent costs, coupled with the access to professional services, helps start-up businesses survive and grow during the initial, most vulnerable stages.

 

“Knowing the supports were available and the reputation of the college gave me a confidence boost,” said Liubakka. “It was a tough decision – do I leave a successful career to start a new business? Just knowing there will be the support there gave me the confidence to move forward. We have a lot of experience and background, but this is a safety net.”

 

It’s not just a business to Liubakka – it’s a legacy he hopes to leave to his family and the community. “It’s very much a family business. I see future generations taking over and growing in this community,” he said.

 

For more information about EZ Box Electrical System Solutions, LLC, including investment opportunities, contact Liubakka at glennl@ezboxess.com or online at www.ezboxess.com.

Mixed Blood Theatre's Dr. King's Dream Comes to Pine City

Dr. King's Dream, Mixed Blood Theatre's acclaimed celebration of the life and career of Dr. Martin Luther King, will be performed in Pine City at Pine Technical & Community College auditorium on Monday, February 22. Sponsored by Pine Technical & Community College’s Diversity Team, the performance begins at 5:30 and is free and open to the public.

 

Dr. King's Dream features Warren C. Bowles in a stirring solo performance that movingly chronicles King's career from its beginning during the Montgomery bus strike to his death in Memphis. It captures all of the dignity, courage, and humanity of a unique American leader.

 

Both the external events in King's career (the marches in Selma and Birmingham, winning the Nobel Peace Prize) and his thoughts on topics ranging from Malcolm X to the police to President Kennedy are included, as his soaring "I Have a Dream" speech. Yet for all of the historical significance, what emerges is the spirit of a man dedicated to equality through non-violence, to an ideal, and to a dream.

 

Dr. King's Dream is produced by the Mixed Blood Theatre Company from its home in a century-old Minneapolis fire station. Founded in 1976 and dedicated to the spirit of Dr. King's dream, Mixed Blood is a multi-racial professional company promoting cultural pluralism, individual equality, and artistic excellence.

 

The show is one of four programs toured nationally by Mixed Blood. The others include Minnecanos, a look at Chicano cultural history in Minnesota; Daughters of Africa, a music-driven history of African American women; and Theory of Mind, about a college-bound young man on the autism spectrum.

 

 Warren C. Bowles, the talented actor featured in Dr. King's Dream, has toured for Mixed Blood since 1981. Among the most memorable of his scores of credits at Mixed Blood are Lucien in The Boys Next Door, the title role in Cyrano de Bergerac, and the professor in Oleanna. He directed Daughters of Africa and both wrote and directed African America and Black Eagle, a biography of Challenger shuttle astronaut Ron McNair.

PTCC receives NATEF accreditation

Pine Technical & Community College’s Automotive Technology program was recently reaccredited by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) through the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF). John Morin and Sheldon Gallmeier volunteered to serve on the NATEF evaluation team.  

 

Grant helps foreign-born PTCC nursing students

In an effort to increase enrollment, retention and graduation rates among foreign born nursing students, Pine Technical & Community College has recently earned a grant to support these efforts.

 

“According to my research, diversity in the U.S. has grown to 24% of the population, but nationally, the nursing profession hasn’t kept pace,” said Connie Frisch, PTCC’s dean of nursing and health sciences. “Only 17% of nursing professionals reflect a diverse population. This grant will allow us to support our foreign-born students in order to grow diversity within the nursing profession statewide.”

PTCC was one of two rural Minnesota colleges to earn the grant awarded by Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) Education Industry Partnerships. The intent of the grant was to support the success of foreign-born nursing students. PTCC will use the grant to provide cultural competence workshops for nursing faculty. The workshops will help faculty identify European American cultural influences in the nursing profession, as well as develop cultural competence in the classroom. Additionally, the grant will help identify students’ language ability skills and support systems and provide opportunities to offer formal diverse study groups to all nursing students.

“Because of our commitment to diversity and student success, we’re very proud to receive this grant. It will have a possible impact on all of our nursing faculty and students,” Frisch said. “Eventually, we hope to extend these workshops and practices to other programs. The grant will have a positive impact on our entire campus.”

 
The Education Industry Partnership grant honors the late Kathleen McCullough-Zander, a former nursing faculty at Minneapolis Community and Technical College. Her husband, David Zander, in memory of his wife, worked with legislators in 2015 to provide an appropriation of $35,000 to support programming for foreign-born students. The legislature specified Century College and Minneapolis Community and Technical College as recipients in the Metro area for the funding, with two additional grants awarded to rural colleges – Pine Technical & Community College and Hibbing Community College.