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The NDSCS Division for Workforce Affairs, in conjunction with TrainND Southeast, has partnered with Microsoft to launch UpskillingND to support job seekers looking to build their skills for in-demand careers. Through this new initiative, NDSCS and TrainND will form cohort groups who will utilize self-paced virtual curriculum to learn new technology skills for in-demand jobs and earn certifications. The program is available at no cost to participants through March 31, 2021.

UpskillingND participants will have access to the following:

• Self-paced virtual curriculum from Microsoft and LinkedIn to learn skills for Customer Service Specialist or Sales Representative roles, enabling them to earn certifications and badges.
• One-on-one support from TrainND Southeast partners on the training content, plus coaching on interview skills and resumé writing.
• Virtual connection to a network of peers for support and community.
• Assistance with searching and applying for open positions.
• Connections to local companies with positions open for the certification skills.

Participants can work at their own pace through the curriculum. In addition to the virtual training sessions, there will be group and individual meetings with mentors, and customized workshops with industry experts and volunteer mentors.

“We are excited to work with Microsoft to provide critical training and support for individuals who may have been displaced from their job due to COVID-19, or who need to develop a new skillset to make a career change,” said NDSCS Vice President for Workforce Affairs Tony Grindberg. “This new initiative will also support industry needs in our region by providing upskilling opportunities for the workforce.”

Interested individuals must complete an online application to be considered for the program. The application deadline for the first of four scheduled cohorts is October 19, and class sizes are limited. 

“As we continue to work through the impact of the pandemic, it is clear that progress must be made to bridge the digital divide. One primary focus is providing digital skilling in order to advance our community forward,” said Taya Spelhaug, Microsoft TechSpark Regional Manager. “Those who have lost their jobs, or were from an underserved community, have an opportunity to bounce back by acquiring new skills. We are so happy to partner with NDSCS’s TrainND team, to bring Microsoft’s Skills initiative and learning opportunities to North Dakota.”

As part of its Skills initiative, Microsoft, LinkedIn and GitHub have collectively reached more than 10 million learners around the globe.

The United States Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) is partnering with North Dakota State College of Science and eight other Midwest community colleges to support hands-on student learning in the field, to develop future conservation-minded farmers and ranchers, and to cultivate more graduates interested in pursuing careers with NRCS.

Today, NDSCS President John Richman, together with representatives of the Community College Alliance for Agriculture Advancement (C2A3) and NRCS, held a virtual ceremony to formally sign a national memorandum of understanding to develop a cooperative framework to enhance and accelerate training and adoption of technologies and best practices for improved agricultural productivity and natural resources stewardship.

“We are extremely pleased to partner with NRCS to provide access for our students to new soil management and agronomic practices, resources and technical expertise,” said NDSCS Vice President for Academic Affairs Harvey Link. “This partnership recognizes the important role NDSCS plays in providing technical education in multiple agricultural areas. It will allow us to partner with other two-year colleges throughout the Midwest to share resources and best practices that will benefit our students, while also helping the NRCS further its mission.”

All C2A3 member institutions, including NDSCS, have land labs or college farms and are able to utilize their land resources for the implementation of conservation practices on the ground to help educate and inform students and producers. The goal of the cooperative agreement between the entities is to not only accelerate the adoption of conservation practices through the education of current, two-year agriculture students, but to also disseminate information to the broader community through field days and other college events and partnerships.

In addition, the colleges are utilizing the network to share resources, knowledge and expertise. Collectively, they are working on a grant through USDA’s North Central Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program, which seeks to increase awareness, knowledge and skills related to soil health, cover crops and no till agriculture. The development of content such as videos and case studies for the classroom is a critical component to help illustrate concepts of profitability, sustainability and productivity. These assets will be shared across the network for the benefit of all member institutions.

“Community colleges educate nearly half of all undergraduate students in this country and yet, our agriculture programs have been an under-utilized resource within USDA,” said Dr. Tracy Kruse, C2A3 board chair. “A majority of our students are the producers in fields. They are technicians in our local co-ops and implement dealers; and they are our agronomy and seed sales professionals. Through these efforts, we hope more of them will also become the soil health specialists and conservationists for local NRCS offices.”

The C2A3 collaboration was born out of a mutual desire to provide more ongoing education, training and demonstration projects to future farm producers and agricultural service providers with the goal of improving the health, and therefore the long-term productivity, resilience and sustainability of the soil.

“We hope that this pilot will grow over time to include more partners and more institutions,” said Jimmy Bramblett, deputy chief of programs for NRCS. “The more successful we are, the more likely we are to drive further innovation and adoption of practices and impact the long-term sustainability of our nation’s resources.”

In addition to NDSCS, C2A3 member institutions include Central Lakes College (Staples, Minn.), Clark State Community College (Springfield, Ohio), Illinois Central College (Peoria, Ill.), Ivy Tech Community College (Lafayette, Ind.), Northcentral Technical College (Wausau, Wis.), Northeast Community College (Norfolk, Neb.), Northeast Iowa Community College (Calmar, Iowa), and Richland Community College (Decatur, Ill.).

For more information about C2A3, visit the organization’s website at agalliance.net.

The North Dakota State College of Science announced today that its Division for Workforce Affairs, in conjunction with TrainND Southeast, expanded the capacity for its Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) / Truck Driving training and is now offering additional start dates for individuals interested in the class. The training is offered at the College’s NDSCS-Fargo location at 1305 19^th Avenue North.

The NDSCS CDL training class is designed to give individuals a good understanding of the trucking industry and prepare them to obtain their Class A CDL through classroom and behind-the-wheel training. Additional information about CDL training at NDSCS, including training cost, start dates and class registration information, can be found online at ndscs.edu/CDLtraining, or by calling 701-231-6922.

The training expansion was made possible through the North Dakota Department of Commerce ND Smart Restart Technical Skills Training Grant. The $30,000 grant was matched by support from area businesses and organizations, including Magnum Logistics, Fargo Freightliner, Dixson Insurance, General Equipment, Mid-America Steel, Baranko Brothers Inc., ND Motor Carriers, Mohr Family – Dacotah Paper Fund of the FM Area Foundation, Pro Transport, FM Area Foundation, RDO Truck Center, Reiles Transfer, TrueNorth Steel, FTC Transport, Insure Forward, E.W. Wylie, Transport Club of FM, Direct Transport, and Custom Graphics.

“We are thankful for this financial support, which allowed us to expand our equipment and staffing to provide additional sessions for our CDL training,” said NDSCS TrainND CDL Program Trainer Brian Ware. “This will expand our ability to support area business and industry by providing training for even more individuals as they prepare to take their CDL road test and begin a career in this high-demand field.”