Minnesota's Best: DCTC Gold Winner for Best Trade/Technical School

Star Tribune best-of contest designed to help state businesses and organizations thrive

Dakota County Technical College has been named the 2024 Gold Winner for Best Trade/Technical School in the Star Tribune Minnesota’s Best annual contest. DCTC was recognized by Minnesota’s Best on four previous occasions in this category: 2023 Silver Winner, 2022 Gold Winner, 2021 Bronze Winner, and 2020 Silver Winner.

According to the Star Tribune website, “Minnesota’s Best is an audience-driven contest. Businesses are nominated by owners, managers, customers, and/or fans. There is no cost for businesses to participate in the contest.

“Businesses are nominated in one of over 350 categories and are then vetted, verifying that they provide the service that they are nominated for and that they serve Minnesota. The public can vote once each day during the voting period. There are three winners (Gold, Silver, and Bronze) in each category.”

More about DCTC…

Located in the heart of Dakota County on County Road 42 in the city of Rosemount, Minnesota, Dakota County Technical College (DCTC) is an accredited two-year institution with more than half a century of success delivering top-quality educational outcomes to its graduates. DCTC is a member of Minnesota State, the third largest system of state colleges and universities in the United States.

DCTC and Inver Hills Community College in Inver Grove Heights are aligned institutions and share one president, Michael Berndt. The two colleges operate using a shared services model where certain resources, processes, and support functions are shared on both campuses. This alignment strategy has proven more effective in meeting the needs of area communities. Perhaps more importantly, alignment expands educational and career opportunities for students at both colleges.

The college’s mission, “Learn, discover, and build a better future: DCTC is dedicated to education for employment and lifelong growth,” is energized by an amazing array of 40-plus technical programs. Representing a variety of age groups and multicultural backgrounds, DCTC students not only profit from small class sizes, but are also saving real money on tuition—less than $5,900 annually compared to more than $15,000 for the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, or $40,000 to almost $60,000 for private colleges in the state.

DCTC students are taught by instructors with decades of hands-on industry experience. Program labs and shops are equipped with cutting-edge equipment and technology. Numerous students start working in their chosen fields while still in school and graduate already on the job.

Student success at DCTC is sustained and enhanced by partnerships and donor contributions. That support helps remove obstacles, champions equity, builds resilience, and promotes student persistence to graduation—the latter the ultimate goal of the entire DCTC community.