Скачать или смотреть New renovations at Hennepin Tech campus

Whether its new 3D printing technology or a machine shop where students learn to make parts that could fit a lawnmower or helicopter, Hennepin Technical College pushes to keep up with change.

"We are working to keep equipment up to date because that changes regularly," says Nathan Stratton, dean of enrollment at Hennepin Tech.

There is a need, Stratton says. He points to enrollment up five percent for first-time students and a six percent increase for students returning for additional courses.

"They are being taught the skills they need from today not from the skills from ten years ago, but from job source today," said Rep. Mike Nelson, DFL-Brooklyn Park.

But administrators increasingly saw other parts of the campus that needed to change. The common areas and parts of the library hadn't been updated since the building was built. There wasn't common space for updated learning amenities like computer labs or small conference rooms to facilitate small group projects.

"Building this space to support he learners in this area is just critical," says Stratton. "This facility was built in the early 1970s and so many things have changed like disability access and computer access. This was critical."

More than $11 million worth of renovations went into the Brooklyn Park and Eden Prairie campuses. In Brooklyn Park, campus staff and members of the Twin West Chamber of Commerce were on hand to cut the ribbon on a new 37-thousand square opening facility that includes computer labs, a new library and plenty of common space for students.

"We have an actual quiet zone which is really nice, you know you can block out two hours for your studies," says student Hamlet Martinez.

Manufacturing student Hussein Ibraham says the new space doesn't even compare to what they had before.

"This is beautiful right now," says Ibraham.

Shannon Slatton, reporting

http://www.ccxmedia.org/
  / ccxmedia.org  
  / ccxnews  

12 News is on Comcast cable channel 12 in the northwest suburbs of Minneapolis and includes the cities Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Crystal, Golden Valley, Maple Grove, New Hope, Osseo, Plymouth and Robbinsdale.