Construction Technology: MSC Southeast carpentry program moves forward with emphasis on new technologies, sustainability

This fall, the MSC Southeast is launching a new two-year Construction Technology A.A.S. degree, merging modern carpentry training with sustainable building practices.  

The program emphasizes the most up-to-date technologies, sustainability, and energy efficiency in residential and commercial projects. Construction Technology students will gain experience with the tools, materials, methods, and standard practices of the trade, plus planning, designing, estimating, and blueprint reading. 

Jonathan Powell is the lead instructor in Construction Technology. He brings over 15 years of experience in residential, commercial, and industrial construction trades to his faculty role at MSC Southeast.  "In today's tight employment market, contractors are under so much pressure they don't have the time or resources to train in new employees on the job," he said. "A technical college program like ours can bring students up to speed before they start work."

MSC Southeast is partnering with Habitat for Humanity Winona-Fillmore Counties and the City of Winona to help address the need for entry level, affordable homes. This will involve construction of one or two houses per year and helping renovate many others.  In doing these projects students can learn all aspects of building a house in a smaller scale. 

In fact, if the weather is too rough to work outside, students can tackle building a tiny house right inside of the Construction Lab at MSC Southeast!

A grant from Clean Energy Resource Teams will help the college integrate environmentally friendly building techniques into the new curriculum. Funded by the grant, the college will work with Building Performance Institute (BPI) Air Leakage Control (ALC) to include installer training in its curriculum. Local contractors will also receive ALC training through the grant.

"This program will help build out Winona's workforce housing market as well as help mitigate the ongoing shortage of tradesmen and tradeswomen," according to Travis Thul, MSC Southeast Dean of Trade and Technology. "We are here to train tomorrow's trades professionals on state-of-the-art building techniques."

Jonathan Powell emphasized that construction is not just a job -- it's a profession. "Most students have no idea how much money they can make and how quickly they can move up in their careers. As educators, we need to keep our programs new and fresh, keep up with evolving technology and trends, and get students engaged in construction programs like ours," he said.

Apply now to start in the program this fall! For more information,  see the Construction Technology page or call MSCS Admissions at 877-853-8324.

MSC Southeast welcomes Interim President Larry Lundblad

Minnesota State College Southeast "rolled out the red carpet" last week to welcome Interim President Larry Lundblad to campus. He visited the Red Wing campus on January 31 and the Winona campus on February 1. Open forums were held in both locations, which were well attended by students, faculty, staff, and community members.

Devinder Malhotra, Interim Chancellor of Minnesota State, graciously introduced Interim President Lundblad. He expressed his confidence that Larry Lundblad has the background and personal management style to help MSC Southeast meet its current challenges and create a stronger institution. 

Larry shared some of his background with the audience, noting that his career started at the local area vocational-technical institute level. He has worked in the Minnesota State system of colleges and universities for 38 years. Most recently he served as president of Central Lakes College for 10 years, which has campuses in Staples and Brainerd.

"I'm looking forward to the opportunity to work with students, faculty, staff and administration and engaging with the communities we serve," he said. "I have already had conversations with several of the regional legislators and I am encouraged by their commitment to the college."

He also mentioned that he plans to spend time at both the Red Wing and the Winona campus. "I have served in multiple-campus institutions since 1992 and know the importance of constantly working to promote a one-college culture. I will work in both communities and throughout the Southeast region." 

Welcome Interim President Larry Lundblad!

 Photo captions: 
Above: Larry Lundblad addressed the audience at an Open Forum.
Below: After the Red Wing Open Forum, Larry toured the campus and met with instructor Lucas Pemberton in his classroom.