bridging the gap between education and employment

The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system offers over 70 transportation programs at more than 25 campus locations statewide! From Automotive and Aviation to Collision Repair, Diesel, Marine & Powersports, and Truck Driving, there are opportunities across every sector. Our Campus Locations page makes it easy to find programs in your area—you can filter by transportation sector and region to discover where you can connect, support, and get involved.

Curious Which High Schools Near You Offer Transportation Programs?
We’ve adapted data from the Minnesota Department of Education to help you find exactly where transportation programs are offered across the state. This resource highlights high schools offering courses in small engines, automotive, aviation, auto body, CDL, and even diesel/heavy equipment. It’s a great tool for industry partners looking to connect with local programs and support future talent.

Want to Get More Involved with Career Fairs and Events?
Our Events Calendar is packed with opportunities! You can see where we’ll be and when—whether we’re bringing the career exploration trailer, hosting an EV101 session, setting up a booth, or running Nitro-X camps. We even list events we’re not attending, so you can explore them on your own. Each listing includes contact information if you’re ready to sign up directly.

Not quite ready to go solo? No problem! We love having industry partners join us at events—whether it’s in the trailer, during a presentation, or at a booth. Just reach out to us at [email protected] and we’ll help you get connected.

Bringing EV & ADAS Education to Classrooms Across Minnesota
We’re hitting the road to deliver hands-on presentations about Electric Vehicles (EV) and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS)—customized for either students or instructors. Each session includes a mix of lecture and hands-on learning, helping schools stay current with evolving technologies.

We’d love to have an industry partner join us at every stop! Have a cool EV to showcase? Even better. You can view our upcoming presentations using the button below or reach out to [email protected] to collaborate and get involved.

Nitro-X Camps were created in 2015 to help garner interest in transportation careers with young people. The camps are designed for middle school students to learn more about careers in transportation and are hosted by Minnesota State Colleges and Minnesota High Schools. Nitro-X offers students opportunities to learn about how vehicles work, build their confidence with technical skills, work in teams to develop life and employability skills, gain exposure to the industry, and show off their skills with a race.

This 3-day camp offers exciting technical sessions, hands-on tinkering with RC cars, two VIP industry tours, painting an RC car body in a professional paint booth, and an epic race day where campers compete for the best time with friends.

Interested in getting involved? Learn more about the camps and checkout our statewide sponsorship opportunities!

This list of activities were taken from our Employer Engagement checklist, you can download the checklist below for more in depth information on each one.

• AED Summit
• ASE Instructor Training Conference
• ATEA National Conference
• Collision Industry Conference
• Day of the Dozers
• HI-TECH Conference
• MEA – Education Minnesota​
• Minnesota School Counselors Association Conference
• MnDOT Aeronautics Events
• MTEEA
• MTTIA Conference
• NACAT
• National BioDiesel Conference
• National Career Pathways Conference
• National Summit for Ed Equity
• SEMA Show
• The Learning Jet
• Twin Cities Auto Show
• U of M CTS Annual Research Conference
• U of M CTS Transportation Research Conference
• VISION Hi-Tech Training & Expo
• Women In Aviation Conference​

Why is Work-Based Learning important to industry?

1. Builds a Skilled Talent Pipeline
WBL allows students to gain real-world experience and develop industry-relevant skills before they enter the workforce. For professionals, this means a future pool of job candidates who are better prepared, trained, and aligned with current industry needs.

2. Reduces Hiring and Training Costs
By engaging with students early, businesses can identify and mentor potential future employees. This reduces the time and cost of recruiting, onboarding, and training new hires—many of whom will already be familiar with the work environment and expectations.

3. Shapes Curriculum and Skill Development
Industry involvement in WBL helps schools align their teaching with actual workforce demands. Professionals have a voice in shaping what students learn, ensuring graduates are ready to meet current and future job requirements.

4. Supports Community and Workforce Development
Investing in WBL strengthens local economies by creating career pathways for youth, keeping talent in the region, and demonstrating a company’s commitment to community growth and education.

5. Enhances Company Culture and Visibility
Hosting interns, mentoring students, or speaking in classrooms increases a company’s visibility and brand among the next generation. It also boosts morale for current employees who engage in meaningful mentorship.

How do you find and train future techs?

There are students right now who are taking automotive training classes at your local high school or college. And the good news is that the school provides them with the fundamental training they need to get started.

But this needs to be a two-way street. Schools want to provide well-trained entry-level technicians, but they need your help and input to be successful and meet your employement needs. Schools need partners from industry to provide advice and guidance, demonstrate career opportunities for their students, and help those students get the hands-on experience that will grow their skills and encourage them to stick with an automotive career.

Sponsoring a virtual tour of your facilities provides flexible and free access to career exploration for students and creates an opportunity to make connections with your local schools. The videos can range from 15-20 minutes long and we can even help you plan your tour if you’d like!

We have created a reflection assignment for educators to implement in their classes that can be applicable to any tour. This assignment is compatible for hybrid or distance learning, appropriate for middle school and beyond, has a potential for a live Q&A with the tour hosts, and comes with an educators guide.