The U.S. Department of the Treasury has approved North Dakota’s application for more than $68 million in funding for Career and Technical Education Centers, including the Minot Area Workforce Academy, according to Sens. Kevin Cramer and John Hoeven, both R-ND.

The funds will support the construction of 13 CTE Centers. Minot Public Schools is remodeling the former Voya building at the site of the new Minot North High School for a CTE Center.

“Our economy is only as strong as our workforce,” Cramer said. “When we increase access to job training programs and pathways to obtain high-demand careers, we can prepare the next generation of workers to meet the opportunities of tomorrow.”

“Securing this award for North Dakota’s CTE Centers is an important win for the state. Today’s announcement means the short-term loan from the state can be promptly repaid and will enable construction to move forward,” Hoeven said Friday. “We’ve been working with Treasury to advance this process and provide much-needed certainty for the development of these CTE Centers, which will help our state better meet its workforce needs while giving students’ more options to pursue cost-effective education and build a successful career.”

Other centers to benefit from the funding are located in Fargo, Dickinson, Watford City, Grand Forks, Grafton, Williston, Mandan, Wahpeton, Devils Lake, Jamestown, Valley City and an expansion in Bismarck.

During a special session of the Legislature in November 2021, lawmakers approved $88 million for career academies, including $20 million in state funds that have already been distributed and $68 million from Treasury’s Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund. Career academy funding was proposed in Gov. Doug’s Burgum’s “Accelerate ND” plan presented before the special session. In February 2022, the State Board for Career and Technical Education (CTE) awarded the $68 million to 13 career academy projects, which require a local dollar-for-dollar match.

The federal funding approval means the projects can move forward without needing to utilize the full $68 million line of credit from the state-owned Bank of North Dakota that was approved by the state Legislature in February when the federal funding was still uncertain.

“These career academies are a key component of our comprehensive efforts to address North Dakota’s workforce shortage, and we’re grateful for the tireless efforts by our congressional delegation, North Dakota Career and Technical Education and our own state Office of Management and Budget team to work with Treasury to secure this federal funding,” Burgum said. “We also thank the Legislature for providing a backstop from the Bank of North Dakota to establish these career academies that will create new opportunities for our high school and college students and support economic growth.”