St. Cloud State University Awarded Two Grants Totaling Nearly $294,000 to Advance Workforce Development in Central Minnesota

(KNSI) — St. Cloud State University has received nearly $294,000 in state funding to help train workers at two central Minnesota companies.

Through its Professional and Continuing Education, or PACE, division, the university was awarded two grants from the Minnesota Job Skills Partnership totaling $293,794. The money will support workforce training programs with EssilorLuxottica in St. Cloud and American Solutions for Business in Glenwood.

One grant funds a three-year technical and leadership development program for 95 EssilorLuxottica employees. The France-based company is the world’s leading eyewear manufacturer and operates four labs in the St. Cloud region. The training will focus on areas such as automation, robotics, instrumentation, safety, and leadership development. The program is also designed to support the company’s “train-the-trainer” model to help build in-house expertise as the manufacturer continues investing in advanced technology.

A second grant will help provide training for 50 employees at American Solutions for Business. The program will focus on communication, digital literacy, organizational skills, conflict resolution, and mental health awareness. Officials say the effort is aimed at strengthening operations and customer service while creating additional career pathways for employee-owners in a rural region facing workforce shortages.

SCSU officials say the grants highlight partnerships between higher education and industry to expand training opportunities and build a workforce prepared for evolving technology and business needs.

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