Thanks to a state grant given to Dakota County Technical College (DCTC), a new two-year workforce-development partnership will make it possible for Toro Company employees to receive training, raise the bar on productivity, and have their operation become a lean enterprise.
The Minnesota Job Skills Partnership (MJSP) formally awarded DCTC a $398,992 grant to fund employee training during an official ceremony Feb. 11 at Toro’s Shakopee facility.
DCTC President Dr. Ron Thomas thanked MJSP officials and Toro for the opportunity to train more than 1,875 employees in principles of lean manufacturing and waste elimination.
“This grant will allow Toro to continue to focus on the skills of their workforce and become as lean and flexible as possible,” said Matt Kramer, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) Commisssioner and MJSP Board Chair. “In addition, we expect the training capability developed by DCTC will be advantageous for other manufacturing companies and their employees.”
The college’s training curriculum also will include courses in Kaizen, total productivity maintenance, plastic injection molding, CNC/CAD, robotics, laser technology, print reading, industrial computer applications, and small engine technology.
Employees to be trained include assemblers, technicians, operators, welders, office staff, and managers. For more information on the grant, contact Larry Raddatz, Customized Training Coordinator at DCTC, at (651) 423-8276.
