Lakes area businesses receive dual-training grants for on-the-job training

Detroit Lakes, Minn. (KDLM) – Three lakes area businesses will receive dual-training grants this year to promote on-the-job training.

According to a May news release from the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry, BTD Manufacturing of Detroit Lakes, and KLN Family Brands and Perham Health, both of Perham, will be three of 59 total Minnesota businesses receiving more than $3 million in grant funding for their earn-and-learn programs for their employees.

The grants were made available for business’s in high-growth industries like: advanced manufacturing, agriculture, health care services and information technology.

The Minnesota Office of Higher Education’s Dual Training Grant program partners with the Minnesota Dual-Training Pipeline Program at the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) to help employers meet their workforce needs.

Grant funds can be used to cover the cost of dual trainees’ tuition, fees and required materials for the related instruction training in program occupations.

The Higher Education Omnibus Budget Bill recently passed by the Minnesota legislature will invest more than $5 million in funding for the dual-training grant program over the next two years. The budget bill also expanded the industries eligible for the grants to include childcare and transportation.

American Crystal Sugar Company of Moorhead was also one of the 59 grant recipients.

According to the state labor agency, more than half of the grants recipients were awarded to employers located in Greater Minnesota.