Rocori Kids Gain Valuable Work Experience Thanks To DEED Grant
COLD SPRING (WJON News) -- A Central Minnesota school district has received a large grant. Rocori Schools received a $200,000 grant from the Department of Employment and Economic Development's (DEED) Youth Skills Training Program.
Rocori will receive $100,000 this year and $100,000 next year. The grant is in advanced manufacturing and Secondary Principal Ryan Hauge says they have partnered with Cold Spring Granite to get kids hands-on manufacturing experience:
"It's helped them I think bring some of the information into our schools in terms of not only what's available for career options for kids but also informing our teachers about just gaps in curriculum as the industry changes how do we need to change."
Hauge says a lot of the grant is focused on getting a business into the school and their relationship with Cold Spring has gone to the next level. He says Cold Spring has a lot to offer the kids:
"They can expose kids to what does it mean to explore a career in manufacturing and then we have a number of kids that are going out there this year and then we're trying to expand what that looks like so more than just a work experience how can we get you something like a more relative internship."
He says beyond manufacturing Cold Spring has IT, marketing, and sales to offer. Next year the schools plan to use the money to help develop an Advanced Robotics Center.
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