Deal close for post secondary education on the North Shore

Talk about it

More progress has been made that will bring postsecondary education to the North Shore.

Mesabi Range Community and Technical College and the Lake Superior School District have come to a tentative agreement regarding the creation of two programs that would be offered this coming fall semester in 2012.

A two-year welding program would be offered at Two Harbors High School. Once a student completes the first year, they would become certified to be a standard welder. After finishing the second year, the student would be a certified pipe welder who could work on bridges.

In Silver Bay, at William Kelley High school, the two-year millwright program would be offered. According to Lake Superior School District Superintendent Phil Minkkinen, millwrights can make as much as $50,000 a year. In order to make these programs affordable, 20 have to register in each program. “We’re pretty confident we can get that full of students for next fall,” Minkkinen said.

While nothing has been signed, Minkkinen said he is confident that these programs will come to fruition. He said that Mesabi Range Community and Technical College dean of academic affairs Carol Helland told him the college was ready to move forward with the school district.

Minkkinen said that a CNA nursing program is in talks still. He hopes to eventually add a two-year program that would prepare students to then enter a four-year college or university.

Tags: two harbors, schools