Thermo King, MCTC receive grant

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) has awarded a $300,000 grant under its Minnesota Job Skills Partnership (MJSP) to develop and implement lean process improvement training for more than 560 employees of Thermo King. A manufacturer of transport temperature control systems for a variety of mobile applications, Thermo King is a brand of Ingersoll Rand.

This grant will provide Thermo King with tremendous learning resources from Minneapolis Community and Technical College (MCTC). Grant resources will be used to design and develop flexible, collaborative workspaces that speed decision-making and information-sharing and enhance teamwork for cross-functional projects. Collectively, these business improvements will foster growth and customer-driven innovation. MCTC will manage the Thermo King partnership grant, which will take place over the next 36 months.

“The commitment between the two organizations demonstrates how corporations and educational institutions can partner to increase business efficiency resulting in positive economic impacts,” said Ray Pittard, president of Thermo King–North America. “This grant supports Thermo King’s lean culture transformation to better serve customers across North America.”

MCTC is a member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System. It offers students more than 130 liberal arts, career and technical education academic programs and an array of non-credit programs to prepare students for good jobs in high-demand professions, career advancement, or transfer to four-year colleges and universities. Located in the heart of downtown Minneapolis, MCTC enrolls more than 14,000 students annually and is an active partner in initiatives designed to strengthen the social, economic, and cultural vitality of the Twin Cities metropolitan area.

Visit www.ingersollrand.com or www.thermoking.com for more information.