Winona Daily News Campus Connection, March 12, 2023
MSC Southeast Transportation Career Night on March 30 will showcase opportunities for Winona area students
Minnesota State College Southeast truck driving instructor Tom Gierok said it best: "Until they can land a plane on top of a grocery store, they're always going to need truck drivers."
The same principle applies to automotive technology and auto body collision technology. There will always be a need for local people who can keep vehicles in top running condition and repair them if they've been in an accident. Some jobs just can't be outsourced!
That's why Minnesota State College Southeast offers programs in these high-demand career fields. And to make them more accessible to the public, the college is hosting the 7th Annual Transportation Career Night on Thursday, March 30, 2023 from 6 to 7:30 pm.
The event takes place on the Winona campus in the Norris P. Abts Transportation Center, MSC Southeast, 1250 Homer Road, Winona. Register in advance at www.southeastmn.one/event for a chance to win a Snap-On product. Additional door prizes will be awarded at the event.
REGISTER NOW
At Transportation Career Night, prospective students and their families can tour the facilities and meet the instructors. College staff will be on hand to help with admissions and financial aid questions.
Meet program faculty and local industry experts
The transportation program instructors emphasized that Transportation Career Night is a great opportunity to meet with industry experts.
"The most important thing to know about Transportation Career Night is that it's a chance for prospective students to visit with current employers who are out in the industry," said Brandon Boynton, who teaches Auto Body Collision Technology. "They can learn about what the work is like, what wages are, and what they can expect in this career field."
Automotive and Light Duty Diesel Technology instructor Amanda Evenson is excited that representatives from area dealerships and parts stores will be at Transportation Career Night.
"Students can talk with them and find out what careers are like. I expect we will also have a few interesting new vehicles on site that our industry partners are bringing in for the occasion," she said.
Brandon Boynton plans to have the paint booth open for campus visitors. "We will have extra paint masks and outfits so you can spray some actual product," he said. "In our program, once we get going in the paint booth the students are really excited to get behind the paint gun."
The college's semi-trucks will be on display for people to see up close, and some hands-on attractions are planned in the automotive technology lab.
Accounting instructor Jill Halverson will be part of Transportation Career Night as well. She serves as an advisor in the college's Transportation Management program, which combines truck driving credentials with coursework related to dispatch, fleet management, business, and accounting.
Paying for college - and the new College Opportunity Program
If you're excited about getting an education in a transportation field, but worried about paying for college, financial aid staff will be at the event to talk about the grants and scholarships that are available. For example, Minnesota Workforce Development Scholarships and MSC Southeast Foundation scholarships can help support students.
Students who are graduating from a Winona high school or homeschool program this year, and who live in the Winona Area Public Schools district, are eligible for two years of free tuition at MSC Southeast through the College Opportunity Program, which was announced in February. The program will cover the cost of tuition and fees for up to 70 credits and provide a stipend for books, supplies and tools.
"It's an incredible opportunity," said Pam Zimmerman, MSC Southeast Director of Financial Aid. "That can be worth as much as $15,000! We want to be sure that every student who is eligible for the program is aware of it."
Tom Gierok mentioned that some employers will not only cover the full cost of attending MSC Southeast for truck driving, they will even pay students an hourly wage while they are in school. These students graduate into a high paying job. "A 21-year-old working 60 hours a week can make up to $100,000 a year in truck driving," he said.
Amanda Evenson said that Transportation Career Night can make a lasting impression on a new student. "I have met students for the first time at Transportation Career Night and been happy to see them in class," she said. "Just the other day one of our students mentioned how they met me for the first time there and they still remember it!"
Transportation Career Night is on Thursday, March 30, 2023 from 6-7:30 pm at the MSC Southeast Transportation Center, 1250 Homer Road, Winona, MN.
Register in advance at www.southeastmn.one/event for a chance to win a Snap-On product; additional door prizes will be given away at the event.
REGISTER NOW