Building A Workforce that Works
How M State’s Workforce Development Solutions is helping Employers Rethink Training, Leadership, and Retention
Across the Fargo–Moorhead region and beyond, employers are facing a shared reality that finding people is hard, keeping them is harder, and preparing them for what’s next is harder still. Technology shifts quickly. Regulations evolve. Leadership expectations change. And too often, training lags behind real-world needs.
That’s where Workforce Development Solutions (WDS) at Minnesota State Community and Technical College comes in.
Operating on the noncredit side of the college, WDS works directly with employers to design training that fits their workforce, their schedules, and their goals. They do this through leadership development, technical upskilling, compliance-driven education, and workforce readiness. Unlike traditional classroom models, WDS meets employers where they are by bringing together industry experts, customized curriculum, and a process built for speed and relevance.
For employers looking to strengthen culture, retention, and performance, investing in employee development through programs like WDS can be a powerful differentiator.
10% OFF!
Mention this article and get 10% off your first customized training!
A Partnership
WDS exists to strengthen the regional workforce by partnering with employers to solve real problems by listening and then acting.
Each engagement starts with a needs assessment. What’s working? What isn’t? Where are teams getting stuck? From there, WDS builds training around the employer’s reality, which includes but is not limited to, job roles, equipment, internal processes, and long-term objectives.
Because WDS operates outside the traditional academic calendar, it can pivot quickly to create curriculums, source instructors, and deliver training on timelines that match business needs rather than semesters.
A New Leader with a Global Perspective
That mission has taken on fresh momentum under Sean Collins, who stepped into the role of Director of Workforce Development Solutions in October.
A Fargo native and Fargo South graduate, Collins brings an unusually broad background to the role. He spent five years in the U.S. Marine Corps working in Signals Intelligence, followed by a decade with the National Security Agency, where his work took him around the world. Over an 18-year career in IT and leadership, he’s built and led high-performing teams in complex, high-stakes environments.
Before joining M State, Collins worked in IT leadership at RDO, which gave him experience in the realities of regional industry.
“I’m extremely passionate about helping leaders transform their organizations into places people actually want to work,” Collins said. “That means empowering employees to make decisions, building trust, and making sure leaders know how to support their teams while moving the organization forward.”
Customized Training
That commitment to customization shows up most clearly in the work of WDS’s Custom Training Representatives.
Director of Business and Industry Amy Hochgraber, who focuses on business, technology, leadership, safety, and industrial training, describes her role as part relationship-builder, part project manager.
“I go out to business and industry and learn what’s actually happening inside their organization,” Hochgraber said. “Then we bring in the right instructor, do a deeper needs assessment, and build training around exactly what they need— whether that’s 4 hours or 144.”
Rather than relying solely on academic faculty, WDS intentionally uses industry experts, people who are still working in the field or have deep, hands-on experience.
“There’s a moment when the maintenance manager and the instructor start talking the same language,” Hochgraber said. “That’s when the light bulb goes off. They realize, ‘You actually understand our world.’”
Customization extends beyond topics into materials and delivery. Leadership training incorporates a company’s existing tools, values, and evaluation processes. Technical training uses the same equipment, spreadsheets, or systems that employees work with every day. Hands-on learning is prioritized, with many industrial courses structured as roughly 70 percent practical application.
"As we have expanded our technical training programs for our workforce, we required a partner with the facilities for hands on lab work as well as instructors with the requisite expertise. M state has been able to provide this with programs like welding, mechanical skills enhancement training, our mechanic helper program, and leadership training. Being able to offer these opportunities gives us the benefit of a higher-skilled and more engaged workforce.”
Why Leadership Training Matters
While some WDS programs focus on compliance or certification, much of the demand centers on leadership.
“Companies often promote their best technical people into leadership roles,” Hochgraber said. “But being a great welder or nurse doesn’t automatically mean you know how to lead a team.”
Leadership training helps bridge that gap. It equips new supervisors with tools for communication, coaching, conflict resolution, and time management. These are the skills that directly affect morale and retention.
“It’s not always about hiring more people,” Hochgraber said. “Sometimes it’s about investing in the people you already have, building their confidence and skill sets so they stay, and so you don’t need to hire as many new employees in the first place.”
Strengthening Healthcare
Few industries feel workforce pressure more acutely than healthcare. Staffing shortages, regulatory requirements, and burnout create constant strain, particularly in rural and regional settings.
Director of Health Training Jenna Stammen, who is focused on healthcare and emergency services, works closely with employers to build training pathways that are practical, accessible, and immediately applicable.
Much of that work centers on Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) and Trained Medication Aide (TMA) programs, which are roles that form the backbone of longterm care, assisted living, and clinical support teams.
“These programs aren’t just about credentials,” Stammen explains. “They’re about creating a pipeline so organizations can grow their own workforce.”
WDS offers both customized training for employers and open enrollment options for individuals entering or advancing within the field. In many cases, training can be scheduled around shifts, delivered onsite, or structured to help employers retain employees while they complete required education.
Beyond CNAs and TMAs, WDS supports healthcare employers through nurse refresher courses, local anesthesia training for dental assistants, and continuing education opportunities that allow professionals to maintain licensure while advancing their skills.
“I’m very thankful for the opportunity to take the certified nursing assistant class. I’ve learned so much, and this experience has opened a new door for me. I really enjoyed the classes and learning new things. Overall, it was a great experience.”
Fire, Safety, and Training that Applies Everywhere
WDS also delivers specialized training for fire departments, recognizing that not every skill learned in emergency services applies exclusively to firefighters.
While some fire programs require participants to be affiliated with a department, many offerings translate directly to broader workplace safety, including CPR, fire extinguisher training, and emergency preparedness.
“These are skills that make sense for almost any organization,” Stammen said. “Safety training shouldn’t be limited to one industry.”
Transportation Training
In transportation and logistics, demand for skilled drivers continues to outpace supply. For Director of CDL Training Bailey Wothe, speed and quality are equally important.
WDS’s Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) training is designed with employers in mind and offers flexible scheduling, one-on-one instruction, and third-party testing that streamlines the path from training to employment.
“Our goal is to help people become workplace-ready from day one,” Wothe said. “That means high standards, strong instructors, and a process that doesn’t slow employers down.”
M State’s CDL program combines self-paced online theory (typically 20–30 hours) with hands-on range and road training (20 hours for Class A, 15 hours for Class B), ensuring students meet Federal EntryLevel Driver Training (ELDT) requirements before taking their Road Skills Test.
Manufacturing and Skilled Trades Training
In manufacturing and industrial settings, customization often means mobility—literally.
Rather than expecting employees to travel offsite, WDS frequently brings training directly to employers, including through its mobile welding trailer, which allows instruction to happen where workers already are.
Industrial training with WDS focuses on practical application, safety, and alignment with real production environments. Training content incorporates client-specific processes, equipment, and scenarios to make sure that learning transfers immediately to the job.
"Workforce development solutions helped get 12 of our employees their cdls with both hazmat and tanker endorsements, which is a big undertaking. M state is very good and helps through the whole process to make it easy."
Balancing Customized Training with Open Enrollment Accesss
While customized training remains the heart of WDS’s work, open enrollment (OE) programs play a critical supporting role— particularly for individuals and small employers who need access to high-quality training without commissioning a custom course.
Open enrollment offerings span a wide range of fields, including:
- Leadership development
- Welding
- Healthcare training and continuing education (CEUs)
- Motorcycle safety
- AI and emerging technologies
- Mandatory inspection
Many OE courses are eligible for industry recognized credentials.
For more information, reach out to the WDS team.
Making Training Financially Accessible
A key part of WDS’s value lies in helping employers navigate funding and grant opportunities that support workforce development. Rather than leaving employers to decipher complex programs on their own, WDS assists with identifying and applying for grants such as:
- The Good Jobs Challenge through the Fargo Moorhead West Fargo Chamber of Commerce
- The Incumbent Worker Grant through RMCEP
By aligning training plans with available funding, WDS helps reduce financial barriers while maximizing return on investment.
A Partner to Employers of Every Size
Over the past two decades, WDS has supported hundreds of organizations across a wide range of industries. That includes global giants like Korber, manufacturers such as Swanson Health Products and American Crystal Sugar Company, infrastructure and utilities providers like Cass County Electric, and locally owned businesses such as Dakota Fence Company.
Organizations like CAPLP and KLN have partnered with WDS for more than seven years, investing in professional development and leadership training that evolves alongside their teams. As leadership needs shift and roles change, WDS adapts the training accordingly.
In addition to these large employers in the area, WDS has helped small businesses like Crete and Co. out of Bemidji, which employees just six people, and medium-sized businesses like CCRI. They’ve also partnered with cities like West Fargo and Ada, MN.
Measuring Impact at Scale
The scope of WDS’s work is substantial and growing.
Each year, Workforce Development Solutions delivers:
- 100,000+ training hours
- 9,000+ learners served
- 500+ business partners supported
