The North Dakota State College of Science Division for Workforce Affairs is announcing a partnership with the Minnesota / North Dakota Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) to offer Construction Core, a Rapid Response Training, as a pre-apprenticeship program.

The training will be offered quarterly, with the first session at NDSCS-Fargo beginning in March 2018. The class will be limited to eight students per session, so individuals are encouraged to register early. Construction Core Training will consist of National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) Core Curriculum and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 10-hour training. Trainees will receive 72 hours of instruction over 12 weeks, with a mix of classroom and at-home study.

This new training offering will help to fill a need for additional skills in the region’s workforce. Trainees will be prepared to begin a rewarding career in the construction industry and the opportunity to be certified in core competencies for the construction industry. This training will help to connect the students to employers in the region who will invest in and foster their careers. 

“Associated Builders and Contractors of MN/ND recognizes the need to foster the younger generation of workers. However, we also have a tremendous need for workers right now. The Construction Core training will help answer the current need,” said Jennifer Erickson, Regional Director, Associated Builders and Contractors of MN/ND.

“Today’s companies are competing in a fast-paced and highly technical environment and a trained workforce is essential,” said Joe Schreiner, NDSCS, TrainND Director. “We look forward to providing the training and the skilled workforce needed by our newest partner, Associated Builders and Contractors.”

For more information regarding Construction Core training, please contact Joe Schreiner, NDSCS TrainND Director, at 701-671-2721, or Jennifer Erickson, Regional Director, Associated Builders and Contractors of MN/ND, at 701-238-8853.

The NDSCS Performing Arts Department will present its holiday concert on December 5, 2017 at 7:30 p.m. in the Bremer Bank Theatre in the Harry Stern and Ella Stern Cultural Center. Free will donations will be accepted and there will be a reception following the concert.

The concert will feature the NDSCS Concert Band under the direction of Dr. Adam Hollingsworth and the Concert Choir under the direction of Bryan Poyzer. This will be the final concert of the semester and will feature a variety of music, including three pieces by the newly formed NDSCS Voice Ensemble. There will also be a jazz piano tribute to Vince Guaraldi, the composer behind A Charlie Brown Christmas, by second year students Wayne Doe and Ben Schuler. The concert will conclude with a few sing-along carols.

The NDSCS Choir students will also perform at West Acres Mall in Fargo, N.D. on Friday, December 1 at 12:00 p.m.

The North Dakota State College of Science Performing Arts Department will present its fall play, The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townwomen’s Guild Dramatic Society Murder Mystery, November 16-18 in the Bremer Bank Theatre in the Harry Stern and Ella Stern Cultural Center. The performances will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, and 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. General Admission tickets are $5 for adults and $1 for students.

The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townwomen’s Guild Dramatic Society Murder Mystery is a comedy by David McGillivray and Walter Zerlin, Jr., presented by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc.

North Dakota State College of Science announced a partnership with SITECH Dakotas, a division of Butler Machinery, to provide state-of-the-art equipment for the College’s Land Surveying and Civil Engineering Technology department. Each academic year, SITECH Dakotas will provide NDSCS with the latest equipment to be used at no cost. SITECH Dakotas will also provide training and technical support for faculty to effectively operate the equipment. The equipment will be returned at the end of each academic year, to be replaced with updated equipment the following year.

SITECH Dakotas has currently entrusted NDSCS with the following equipment, valued at approximately $35,000: Trimble GPS Base, Trimble GPS R10 Receiver and Trimble Data Collector.

“This partnership allows our program to be more efficient,” said Jeff Jelinek, NDSCS Land Surveying and Civil Engineering Technology Program Coordinator. “We are able to have more students working hands-on with equipment at the same time.”

In spring 2018, SITECH Dakotas will provide two additional GPS receivers, a machine display and mounting brackets to NDSCS, adding $60,000 to the value of entrusted equipment for the 2017-2018 academic year.

“We are excited for the machine control equipment we will be able to utilize this spring,” said Jelinek. “Our partnership with SITECH Dakotas will bring hands-on training to our machine control and project layout curriculum. This is an area that many students are interested in, and they will be better prepared for the workforce by having operated this high-tech equipment.”

“This partnership supports our focus on communication throughout the industry,” said Chris Giese, SITECH Dakotas General Manager. “Students will be better prepared to work for SITECH Dakotas and our customers, saving training time. Everyone will benefit from this partnership.”

Graduates from the NDSCS Land Surveying and Civil Engineering Technology program in 2016 had a 100% placement rate. Individuals interested in the program can learn more online at ndscs.edu/surveying.

North Dakota State College of Science opened a state-of-the-art instructional facility for its Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Technology program today. The world-class lab and classroom were made possible through a combination of public and private funds and donations. Students in the HVAC/R Technology program can now train on the latest technology used by industry, enabling them to gain the skills needed for technically advanced careers.

Public funds from a $400,000 North Dakota Department of Commerce workforce enhancement grant were matched by more than $432,000 in private donations from Trane®, a leading global provider of indoor comfort solutions and services. In addition to donated equipment, Trane representatives oversaw the complete installation of the systems to ensure they are fully operational.

The NDSCS HVAC/R instructional areas now boast eight rooftop units, a water source heat pump, an air handler, ten variable air volume boxes, Air-FiTM wireless controls and Tracer® SC system controllers. Students are immersed in the curriculum that features this state-of-the-art equipment, and the theory behind how the mechanical systems work together to make buildings as efficient as possible.

“HVAC is a high demand career in North Dakota,” said NDSCS President John Richman. “This public-private collaboration helps to solve the state’s need for HVAC technicians. This is a model that needs to be replicated, as everyone wins in the end.”

Through a partnership with the National Coalition of Certification Centers (NC3), NDSCS offers its HVAC/R students five certifications to demonstrate that they have been educated to industry standards. NDSCS instructors worked with Trane and NC3 to develop curriculum. Jeff Kukert developed a curriculum for variable speed motors and Mark Wood developed a heat pump curriculum. They are both NC3 Certified Master Instructors and are certified to deliver BAS Level I, residential airflow, residential refrigeration diagnostics, variable speed motors and heat pump curriculum to students.

Graduates from the NDSCS HVAC/R Technology program in 2016 had a 100% placement rate. Individuals interested in the program can learn more online at ndscs.edu/hvacr, or by attending the College’s Electrical, HVAC/R, Manufacturing Day on Monday, November 6. More information and registration for this event can be found online at ndscs.edu/specialevent.