2025 Annual Highlights

You’re viewing a section from our Annual Highlights.
To explore all of this year’s stats, initiatives, and what’s ahead, you can view the full Annual Highlights here.

Fall College Visits 

This fall, our staff visited all 23 colleges and universities with transportation programs in the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. Traveling more than 5,773 miles, the team conducted in-person meetings to gain a clearer understanding of how the TCOE can better support our college partners. Many common themes emerged from these conversations, and we look forward to integrating them into our priorities for the coming year. Key themes included: faculty capacity; recruitment and professional development; accreditation; program quality and curriculum modernization; equipment and technology needs; industry partnerships; workforce alignment and employer engagement; student recruitment, outreach, and enrollment growth; and systemwide coordination, communication, and infrastructure. 

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and Electric Vehicle (EV) Training 

Over the past year, TCOE has delivered 24 ADAS101 and EV101 trainings to colleges and high schools across Minnesota, providing students and educators with foundational knowledge of the technologies reshaping today’s transportation industry. These sessions introduce the principles behind electric vehicles, hybrid systems, and advanced driver assistance technologies—helping learners better understand how modern vehicles operate and why new skills are required in today’s workforce. 

The impact has been significant. Students gain early exposure to emerging technologies, increasing their confidence and interest in automotive, diesel, and transportation pathways. Faculty benefit from up-to-date insights that support curriculum modernization and strengthen classroom and lab instruction. By bringing these trainings directly to campuses, the TCOE is helping ensure Minnesota’s programs remain aligned with industry advancements and that students are prepared for the rapidly evolving transportation careers of the future. 

Sector Meetings 

This fall, we began revamping our sector meetings—holding seven in 2025—to better support faculty and leadership across the six major areas of transportation. These meetings now function as peer-to-peer learning networks, providing a dedicated space to connect, discuss emerging issues, and share best practices that strengthen programs statewide. We also convene Dean-specific sessions as needed and plan to seek regular guidance from the 19 members on our Executive Board, representing industry, workforce, and education, to ensure topics remain timely, relevant, and aligned with the needs of Minnesota’s transportation workforce. 

Teaching in the Trades Webinar Series 

This fall, we launched a new webinar series, Teaching in the Trades, designed to support educator professional development while highlighting emerging industry trends, workforce needs, and new technologies. In 2025, we hosted three webinars with a total of 166 registered attendees: 

• Practical AI Integration in Transportation Programs: From Basics to Classroom & Lab Applications (10/8/2025) – presented by Matt Boudinot, Dakota County Technical College 
• Addressing the Shortage of Qualified Diesel Technicians (11/19/2025) – presented by Alex Leslie, American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) 
• Discover the Future of Transportation: CAV 101 and Minnesota’s Path to Driverless (12/3/2025) – presented by Tara Olds and Thomas Johnson-Kaiser, MnDOT CAV 

These sessions provided educators with actionable insights and tools to bring cutting-edge transportation topics into their classrooms and labs. 

Nitro-X 2025 Recap 

This summer, Nitro-X engaged nearly 50 campers across four Minnesota locations—White Bear Lake, Hibbing, Brainerd, and Mankato—for three days of hands-on learning, RC car racing, industry tours, and an inside look at transportation careers. The impact was clear: 100% of parents said they would recommend Nitro-X, 92% of students reported learning “a lot” or “some” about transportation careers, and 90% of campers left with increased interest in transportation and automotive fields. Watch the Summer Recap Video Follow Nitro-X on LinkedIn

TCOE Awards Recap 

The TCOE Awards celebrate outstanding individuals and organizations making a significant impact on transportation-related education in Minnesota. Each year, we proudly recognize educators, advocates, supporters, and industry partners whose contributions strengthen and advance the field. 

At the 2025 MTTIA Conference, we had the honor of celebrating these incredible contributions. From inspiring educators to influential industry partners, our TCOE Awards presentation was a night of recognition, gratitude, and community. Congratulations to all of our 2025 award recipients, including Jim Bainer, Andrew Thul, Carl Morsching, Lynn McGlynn, White Bear Lake High School’s Automotive program, and Dave Syverson Auto Center, whose dedication is helping shape the future of transportation education in Minnesota. Learn more about the 2025 Award Recipients Learn more about the TCOE Awards Program

Toro Engine Partnership Update 

Since 2017, we have partnered with the Toro Company to distribute former test engines to high schools in need, facilitating the donation of over 800 engines to date. 

As we wrap up the final deliveries for the Toro engine donation program, we extend our deepest gratitude to Toro for their generosity. These engines have provided countless students with invaluable hands-on learning opportunities, helping to inspire the next generation of transportation professionals. 

With Toro moving more of its testing toward electric systems, fewer engines are available, marking the conclusion of this chapter. We’re excited, however, to see how this shift will continue to shape the future of transportation technology and the learning opportunities for students statewide! 

First-of-its-Kind Career Exploration Trailer Event 

This year, we brought the Career Exploration Trailer to Walter Maginnis High School in Red Wing, a school serving adjudicated youth through a variety of educational programs. We shared transportation career opportunities and the training pathways available through Minnesota State colleges. Expanding career awareness for all students is central to our mission, and we were thrilled to partner with WMHS to help open doors for the future workforce. This first-ever visit provided 100 students with hands-on experiences and insights into transportation careers, inspiring the next generation of skilled professionals. 

Conference and Professional Development Engagement 

Over the past year, our team has participated in a wide range of conferences and professional development events, both statewide and nationally, to stay connected with emerging trends, technologies, and best practices in transportation education. Highlights included industry-leading events such as SEMA, AAPEX, the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo, and VISION HiTech Training & Expo, as well as education-focused gatherings like the MTEEA Conference, Career and Technical Education Summit, ASE Instructor Training Conference, and the HI-TEC Conference. Our team also engaged in specialized training, including Hybrid & Electric Vehicle Boot Camps, EV First Responder Training, and the National Electric Vehicle Consortium Conference, ensuring we remain on the cutting edge of transportation and automotive education. 

• Impacts Gained 
  Participation in these events allowed our team to build connections with industry leaders, educators, and workforce development professionals, gain firsthand exposure to new technologies and emerging trends, and collect innovative ideas for curriculum and program development. Sessions and workshops provided actionable insights on topics ranging from electric and hybrid vehicles to fleet optimization, workforce alignment, student recruitment, and instructional strategies. These experiences also strengthened our understanding of industry needs, enabling us to understand how to better prepare students for careers in transportation. 
• Benefits to Minnesota Transportation Programs 
  Attending these conferences directly benefits our transportation programs by allowing us to keep our educators and staff informed about evolving technologies, workforce demands, and industry standards. The knowledge, tools, and resources gained from these events help us support faculty professional development, modernize curriculum, expand career pathways, and foster industry partnerships. Ultimately, these efforts ensure that Minnesota students have access to high-quality, relevant training that aligns with real-world transportation careers and workforce needs. 

Transportation Pathways Supply and Demand Analysis 

Our Supply and Demand Analysis identifies critical workforce trends and opportunities across the transportation industry. Developed in partnership with RealTime Talent, the analysis combines traditional labor market information with job posting data to provide a detailed view of current and future opportunities across each transportation career sector. The report includes insights on employment projections, average wages, geographic wage comparisons, top in-demand skills, talent demographics, educational attainment, and more—providing a comprehensive resource to guide program development, workforce planning, and career pathway strategies in Minnesota. View the Transportation Pathways Supply and Demand Analysis

MTTIA Conference 

This summer, our team continued its deep involvement with the MTTIA Conference, supporting many aspects of planning and execution—from communications and marketing to Trade Show and sponsorship coordination. The conference was another great success, drawing more than 80 secondary and post-secondary educators from across the Midwest and featuring 30 Trade Show exhibitors in Brainerd, Minnesota. 

New Teacher Mentoring Session
In August, we hosted our New Teacher Mentoring Session alongside the MTTIA Conference, offering vital support to new transportation educators across Minnesota. Attendees gained insights from guest speakers, accessed curated resources, earned a certificate of completion, and built meaningful connections through peer and veteran educator networking. Our goal is for educators to leave the session more confident and better equipped with the tools, knowledge, and the support network needed to excel in their classrooms and strengthen their transportation programs.

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You’re viewing a section from our Annual Highlights.
To explore all of this year’s stats, initiatives, and what’s ahead, you can view the full Annual Highlights here.