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North Dakota State College of Science has received the Innovative Career and Technical Education Program award from the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) Region V. The award recognizes the College’s Career Awareness Seminar, a professional development activity that occurs each summer on the NDSCS Wahpeton campus.

Rick Ross, Executive Director for the North Dakota ACTE, presented the award to Diesel Technology Department Chair Terry Marohl, who is the coordinator for the Career Awareness Seminar, during this summer’s seminar. “Terry is a leader of a team of people with members from various departments,” said Ross. “More than 60 employees and friends of NDSCS work together to put on this seminar each summer.”

“I’d like to thank all of the faculty and staff who work together to make the Career Awareness Seminar happen,” said Marohl. “This is an enjoyable event that showcases 16 unique programs not offered anywhere else in the state of North Dakota. We have a lot of fun planning and hosting this event each year.”

NDSCS held its first Career Awareness Seminar in June 2008. The purpose of the seminar is to expose and educate high school counselors, teachers and administrators to emerging and existing technologies in the areas of transportation, construction, manufacturing, agriculture, health care, business and information technology. Participants spend more than three days in an intense program that includes hands-on learning sessions and business and industry presentations. NDSCS has seen a direct correlation between participants and registered students from the participants’ respective schools.

The Innovative Career and Technical Education Program award recognizes innovative career and technical education programs that are unique, novel and serving to improve and promote the image of career and technical education. To be eligible for the award, programs must have been in operation for at least three years, demonstrate a capacity to prepare graduates to perform successfully in an occupational field and exemplify the highest standards within its occupational field.

North Dakota State College of Science fall semester classes will begin Monday, August 22 at 4:00 p.m. for all Wahpeton, Fargo and Online students.

Students who are not yet enrolled for fall semester can still do so by contacting the Enrollment Services office at 701-671-2521 in Wahpeton or 701-231-6900 in Fargo, or by visiting ndscs.edu/apply.

Tony Grindberg has been named Vice President of Workforce Affairs at the North Dakota State College of Science. Grindberg, who led the development and launched the initial operations of NDSCS-Fargo, will oversee the restructuring of the College’s Division of Workforce Development and expansion efforts in Cass County and the surrounding region. He will direct activities relating to the generation of revenue to support college-wide initiatives, strategic engagement with business and industry, oversee the management of TrainND in the southeast region of North Dakota and guide efforts to strengthen education partnership with K-12 education.

“Tony’s expertise, experience and passion make him the best person to help move NDSCS workforce strategic initiatives forward,” said Dr. John Richman, NDSCS President. “Tony will play a critical role in shaping the future of how NDSCS will educate and train the workforce for North Dakota and this region.”

In 1997, Grindberg’s leadership helped secure $2 million of private sector financial support to open the doors of the current home of NDSCS-Fargo, which has served more than 30,000 workforce and college students. Author of the Workforce Environmental Assessment, Grindberg notes that “the Fargo-Moorhead region has in the past and will continue to experience workforce shortages with occupations across all industry sectors.” Grindberg’s work at NDSCS will include highlighting the workforce shortage issue in the region and developing solutions to address the growing demand of skilled workers that will include enhanced partnership with K-12 education to align associate degree attainment as a first step in providing high school graduates with a life-long career pathway to success.

“Solving our region’s workforce challenges is vital to our long term economic growth. I am excited for the opportunity to lead NDSCS workforce initiatives and implement solutions to meet our region’s growth projections,” said Grindberg.

“Tony Grindberg’s results-driven track record and his experience in economic and workforce development, both as a state senator and economic development professional, is exactly what our region requires to advance workforce strategy. On behalf of The Fargo-Moorhead-West Fargo Chamber, we welcome Tony’s leadership to advance workforce development initiatives for our region,” said Craig Whitney, President & CEO.

A reorganization of the NDSCS Workforce Affairs Division, that has spanned six months, has enabled the Vice President of Workforce Affairs position to be created without tapping into additional state appropriated funds. This position is funded through a combination of state appropriated funds previously earmarked for the Division and revenue generated by that Division.

A Fargo City Commissioner, Grindberg represented south Fargo in the North Dakota Legislature for 22 years before not seeking another term in 2014. He was head of the NDSU Technology and Research Park and also worked for an aerospace company. He’s been consulting businesses since January 2016.

Grindberg earned his A.S. from North Dakota State College of Science and B.S. from Minnesota State University Moorhead.