The grant signing, Nov. 10, makes the partnership official: Anoka-Ramsey Community College and 3M Stillwater are now working together through a Minnesota Job Skills Partnership (MJSP) Grant from the State of Minnesota's Department of Employment and Economic Development.

Anoka-Ramsey Community College (ARCC) applied and won the $315,345 grant last spring and actual training is scheduled to begin December 2003 and run through June 2006. This grant will allow the college to provide customized training services to employees of 3M Stillwater. The training will focus on improving quality including preventative and corrective action systems, production training, statistics, production report accuracy, and e-productivity. Trained employees will be eligible for continuing education units and will receive course certificates.

"The plant produces automotive parts such as paint replacement film, which clients demand have a very low amount of flaws," says Denise Gamble, ARCC grant Project Manager. "The grant training will allow 3M Stillwater to improve production quality, reduce return rates, and continue to provide living-wage manufacturing jobs in Minnesota."

The multi-year MJSP grants allow ARCC to develop a more strategic, solution-focused and in-depth relationship with the business partner. The Continuing Education and Customized Training unit also uses these partnerships to develop new curriculum that can be used with other area businesses. Since 1997, ARCC has earned 17 MJSP grants totaling nearly $5 million dollars.