Hennepin Tech Awarded $4 Million To Develop Automation Robotics Department
The state of Minnesota awarded Hennepin Technical College more than $4 million to expand its Automation Robotics Engineering Technology program. Instructors at the school say it will help its students have an edge in a rising, high-demand field .
The grant, awarded by the Department of Employment and Economic Development, will develop students for careers in the semiconductor industry.
Semiconductors control all kinds of technology, from medical devices to cell phones.
Costs to develop the program total $8.3 million with Hennepin Tech paying for about half. The new space should be fully operational by fall 2027.
Hands-on Learning
Brady Larson is one student in the Automation Robotics program.
He’s on track to graduate before the program is fully expanded, but he’s already reaping the benefits from the school’s emphasis on industry.
“Critical thinking, problem solving, all that,” Larson said.
He and his classmates in Brooklyn Park were disassembling what their teacher calls “do nothing machines.”
“It’s just a bunch of axles with gears and sprockets turning from a motor,” Larson said.
In taking them apart, the students are learning all about what makes them move.
As Larson trains to be a field technician, he said the hands-on work has always been an interest of his. Luckily for him, demand for workers like him is on the rise.
“As I grew up, it just appealed to me. I thought ‘hey, it could be kind of cool to do this for a living,'” Larson said.
His class is just one small part of a department of about 200 students. Now, it’s getting a chance to grow.
Students work to disassemble machines in their Automation Robotics classroom.
Expanding the Lab
Automation Robotics instructor Jeff Thorstad said the industry needs more workers. That’s particularly true for skilled workers who can adapt to many different tasks.
“We need people with experience, with the ability to go out and troubleshoot the machinery, fix it and fix every component,” Thorstad said.
With the grant funding, Hennepin Tech will develop a training space to funnel more students into the industry. It will also centralize the Automation Robotics program at HTC’s Brooklyn Park campus.
“We have a huge lab here behind me that will be filling with the equipment,” Thorstad said. “Students can actually tear apart real things, and work on real things in a lab situation.”
Thorstad said an opportunity to work on real equipment, rather than practicing on smaller models, will benefit students and employers in the long run.
“Companies that are coming to Minnesota, whether they are Minnesota-based companies or international companies, need these skilled technicians,” he said. “Without these people, these companies won’t be able to make an investment in the state of Minnesota to help secure our economic future.”
He’s certain that the state will surely see a return on that investment as the department grows to support more students.
Instructor Jeff Thorstad said the room he’s standing in will become a hands-on lab for students by fall 2027.
