Summit Academy OIC, a longtime workforce development anchor in North Minneapolis, has officially opened a newly expanded wing of its historic campus, doubling its footprint. This is a major milestone in Summit’s broader effort to increase economic mobility for more Minnesotans through access to no-cost, short-term workforce training.
The campus expansion marks a bold new chapter for Summit, which has served low-income adults for decades through in-demand career trainings and job placement in construction, healthcare, financial services, and IT.
“This expansion is more than just new walls and upgraded classrooms,” said Leroy West, President & CEO of Summit Academy OIC. “It’s about scaling up our ability to connect people to life-changing opportunity. Summit is not only training the workforce of the future, but we are also supporting families in achieving economic mobility which, in turn, supports a thriving economy for the Twin Cities and across Minnesota.”
View images of the campus renovation project here.
New Dental Training Facility Launches
Along with updated classrooms and training space, the campus renovation also includes a brand-new dental training lab, created to support Summit’s new Unlicensed Dental Assistant career training which launched on September 22 with full enrollment.
There is a critical shortage of dental workers in the Twin Cities right now. This new training was designed alongside local industry leaders to support the workforce need while giving students a fast, accessible path into a growing dental field.
More Students, More Space, More Opportunity
Summit currently trains nearly 1,000 students per year, many of whom go on to work for top local employers like Mortenson Construction, Ameriprise Financial, Atomic Data, the University of Minnesota, the City of Minneapolis, and many more.
As workforce demand grows and older generations retire from the trades, Summit is preparing to double enrollment over the next several years. That growth means there is a need for more physical training space on campus—especially in modern, industry-informed facilities.
Through the Scaling Up for Greater Impact campaign, Summit raised nearly $13 million in support to make expanded training possible. Key funders of the renovation project included: The Barry Foundation, U.S. Bank Foundation, Graco Foundation, and MidWestOne Foundation.
The newly expanded wing opened to students on September 22, bringing all of Summit’s programs together under one roof for the first time ever.
A Building with History, A Future with Purpose
Summit’s building at 935 Olson Memorial Highway has been a fixture in the neighborhood since the 1960s, when it first opened as a Red Owl grocery store. After changing hands several times over the years, Summit moved into the space in 1996. This expansion breathes new life into the building while honoring its legacy as a community hub.
About Summit Academy OIC
Summit Academy OIC is an accredited, not-for-profit Career and Technical Education (CTE) institute that has been training low-income adults since 1996. Born out of the Civil Rights Movement, and led by Reverend Dr. Leon Howard Sullivan, the Opportunities Industrialization Centers (OIC) were established in 1964 in response to the lack of employment and job training programs in African American communities.
Located in North Minneapolis, Summit delivers accelerated, 20-week career trainings in construction, financial services, IT, and healthcare. Trainings are industry-informed and produce entry-level graduates with in-demand skills, ready to meet employer demand. Summit also offers an accelerated 10-week GED program.