State Rep. Paul Anderson, R-Starbuck, said he is pleased Minnewaska Area High School has gained a state grant to facilitate a training partnership between the school and local employers. 

The grant is for $100,000, through the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry’s Youth Skills Training grant program. Anderson said this will enable Minnewaska to partner with local employers to develop and implement safe, healthy and meaningful paid work experiences for students 16 years of age and older in the advanced manufacturing, agriculture and health care industries. 

“This program is beneficial to students and our workforce alike and it’s good to see this grant earned locally,” Anderson said. “Students will have an opportunity to supplement what they learn in the classroom with firsthand workforce knowledge, giving them a head start on a career. At the same time, employers are able to provide students with skills that could benefit them down the road and also help mitigate the state’s shortage of skilled workers – particularly in Greater Minnesota.”

The YST program was signed into law in 2017 with bipartisan support. This year, DLI reports it awarded $1.5 million in YST grants, benefiting 17 partnerships throughout the state.