State Grants Fund Custom Training for Manufacturers
Medical device and advanced manufacturers can partner with accredited Minnesota schools to upskill current employees.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Jobs — General
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Minnesota's Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) awarded 14 workforce development grants totaling over $2.5 million to eight Minnesota educational institutions. The grants fund customized training developed with state businesses, and grantees expect to train more than 2,000 workers.
Why it matters
Employers in Minnesota's medical device manufacturing and advanced manufacturing sectors face rapid automation and a widening skills gap in equipment maintenance. The grants pair businesses with accredited schools to upskill incumbent workers rather than relying solely on new hires.
The awards total over $2.5 million across 14 grants to eight Minnesota educational institutions. Grantees project training more than 2,000 workers, with individual partnerships ranging from $49,997 to $432,869.
The players
Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED)
The state agency that administers workforce programs and employer-linked training grants for Minnesota businesses.
Medtronic
A large medical technology manufacturer with major operations in Minnesota that is a partner in one of the Hennepin Technical College grants.
Boston Scientific
A global medical device manufacturer that is partnering with the University of Minnesota under one of the awarded grants.
Hennepin Technical College
A Minnesota community and technical college that received multiple grants for employer-specific training partnerships.
The details
Under the program, a business partners with an accredited educational institution, which receives the grant to design and deliver custom training for that business. Hennepin Technical College will develop automation robotics training for incumbent employees at Medtronic, Heliene USA and La Machine Shop, while the University of Minnesota is partnering with Boston Scientific. Covered programming includes onboarding, upskilling, and communication and leadership development.
Timeline
November 5, 2026: DEED published the grant announcement.
Market Landscape
The awards follow the DEED employer-linked training model, in which schools build custom curricula for individual companies rather than offering general courses. The model positions Minnesota's technical colleges as direct training contractors for regional manufacturers facing automation.
Manufacturers in medical devices and advanced manufacturing can explore whether a partner school might design custom training for incumbent staff. Operators should weigh upskilling against hiring, since the grants lower the cost of building in-house automation and maintenance skills.
The takeaway
Employers facing automation should ask local technical colleges whether a workforce grant partnership is available before committing to external training vendors. Track how many of the projected 2,000 trainees complete programs, since completion rates will show whether this model delivers the skills employers need.
Further reading
For more on how employers and schools are building job-specific skills, explore Jobs — General coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Hometownsource.
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