Fourteen community colleges in Minnesota that are partnering with employers on job training are getting about $17 million from the Obama administration.

Minnesota State Community and Technical College in Fergus Falls will receive $2.5 million and South Central College in North Mankato will get $5.6 million.

The remaining will be spread between a dozen institutions across the state: Bemidji State University; Century College; Dakota County Technical College; Lake Superior College; Minneapolis Community & Technical College; Minnesota State Community and Technical College; Minnesota West Community and Technical College; Normandale Community College; Northland Community & Technical College; Ridgewater College; Riverland Community College; South Central College; and Saint Paul College.

Vice President Joe Biden and the secretaries of Education and Labor announced the grant winners Monday at the White House.

Linking job training to industry demand is key to the Obama administration's strategy to improve wages and reduce unemployment. Nationwide, $450 million is being distributed to nearly 270 community colleges.

These are the final installments in the four-year Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training competitive grant program. Counting the grants announced Monday, the program has awarded about $2 billion.

The White House said the program is geared toward military veterans, the long-term jobless and people who lost jobs when their former employers shifted production offshore.

"People are going to gets skills to get a job tomorrow and punch their way to the middle class," Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez said.