Hennepin Technical College will receive more than $2.6 million in grant money to train workers in biotech manufacturing, the U.S. Department of Labor announced on Tuesday.
The Brooklyn Park college said it will train about 350 workers starting in late August, giving them technical education so they can be prepared for advances in fields such as medical devices, biologics, biopharma and renewable materials.
"We're developing (a) workforce for these new jobs that will be created," said Katherine Sellner, the college's director of health sciences and biomanufacturing. Companies "are limited by what they can develop by the workforce available," she added.
Analysts said they believe the training will help make Minnesota more attractive for companies in the life sciences industry.
"Ultimately (it) is very attractive to companies that want to move here or grow here to have that workforce at their fingertips," said Liz Rammer, executive vice president of trade association LifeScience Alley.
The money given to Hennepin Technical College was part of $125 million worth of grants given to 41 community colleges and organizations by the U.S. Department of Labor.
