Minnesota Training Partnership
Minnesota Training Partnership is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2017 by the Minnesota AFL-CIO that serves as the state's only union workforce development intermediary, connecting underserved job seekers to union employment through free pre-apprenticeship training, registered apprenticeships, and barrier-removal services funded by state grants and donations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersSaint Paul, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Minnesota Training Partnership does
Minnesota Training Partnership (MTP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit workforce development organization founded in 2017 by the Minnesota AFL-CIO. It operates as the first and only union workforce development intermediary in the state, connecting approximately 1,800+ workers to union employment in its first year and continuing to serve underserved populations across Minnesota. MTP's core function is coordinating pre-apprenticeship training, registered apprenticeships, and employment services for job seekers while building talent pipelines for unions and union employers. Its portfolio spans trades-specific programs (Boilermaker, Carpenter, Millwright, Finishing Trades for Women, Hospitality Foundations, Long-Term Care Foundations, Meat Cutters, Broadband Technician, Cannabis/CanTrain), a SNAP E&T program, a Hennepin County Dislocated Worker Program, the CLEO youth program, and workplace rights outreach (Paid Leave, ESST, Pregnancy & Parenting). Training is delivered through partner sites including Anoka Technical College, Saint Paul College, the Finishing Trades Institute of the Upper Midwest, the Carpenters Training Institute, and The Urban Village.
MTP has no proprietary technology platform; its core offering is service delivery and coordination. The business model is grant-funded and donation-supported: revenue flows from state government grants (Minnesota DEED, DHS, City of Minneapolis), federal SNAP E&T pass-through funding, and donations through the Unity Fund — a 501(c)(3) charitable fund that finances barrier-removal services such as transportation, childcare, work attire, and tools. All programs are free to eligible participants. Go-to-market is community-led: MTP relies on union networks, community organizations (The Urban Village, Elpis Enterprises, Job Corps), workforce centers, SNAP offices, and word-of-mouth rather than paid acquisition. The organization is governed by a board of union and employer representatives and operates with a small staff of roughly 9 employees out of its St Paul headquarters at 175 Aurora Avenue (within the Minnesota AFL-CIO building).
Minnesota Training Partnership firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Minnesota Training Partnership
- Legal name
- Minnesota Training Partnership
- Website
- https://mntrainingpartnership.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Minnesota Training Partnership is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2017 by the Minnesota AFL-CIO that serves as the state's only union workforce development intermediary, connecting underserved job seekers to union employment through free pre-apprenticeship training, registered apprenticeships, and barrier-removal services funded by state grants and donations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Minnesota Training Partnership industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Workforce Development Services
- NAICS
- Apprenticeship Training (611513), Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Employment Agencies (7361)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Apprenticeships, Internships & Work-Based Learning Programs (BPACANAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Workforce & Job-Seeker Services (Community-Based) (EDAAAFAM), Workforce Development & Continuing Education Divisions (Noncredit) (EDAHADAG)
Keywords
Where Minnesota Training Partnership is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Saint Paul
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Minnesota Training Partnership business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Government Grants and Public Funding: MTP operates as a nonprofit that receives publicly funded grants from the State of Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS), and the City of Minneapolis to operate employment and training programs. All programs are free to eligible participants.
- Donations (Unity Fund): MTP accepts financial contributions through its Unity Fund, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit fund, from individuals, unions, and businesses to support barrier-removal services such as transportation, childcare, work attire, and tools for program participants.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Other | Free career training programs for eligible individuals |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Minnesota Training Partnership product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Minnesota Training Partnership is a nonprofit workforce development intermediary that operates pre-apprenticeship career training programs, registered apprenticeships, and employment services to connect underserved and underrepresented workers to union careers. It partners with unions, employers, educational institutions, and community organizations to deliver free training programs across trades such as Boilermaker, Carpenter, Millwright, Hospitality, Long-Term Care, Finishing Trades, and Manufacturing, along with SNAP E&T, Dislocated Worker, and youth programs. All programs are funded through government grants and donations and provided free to eligible participants.
Product overview
Minnesota Training Partnership operates as a workforce development organization offering a unified portfolio of employment and training programs designed to connect underserved populations to union careers. The core offerings include Career Training Programs (Boilermaker, Carpenter, Millwright, Hospitality Foundations, Long-Term Care Foundations, Finishing Trades for Women, CanTrain), SNAP Employment & Training, Dislocated Worker Program, Youth Program (CLEO), Apprenticeship Assistance, and Paid Leave/Workplace Rights outreach. The organization also facilitates Union-Sponsored Training and accepts donations through The Unity Fund. Programs are delivered through partnerships with unions, employers, educational institutions, and community organizations across Minnesota.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Unity Fund: MTP's fundraising initiative that enables direct impact in connecting people to good union jobs, removing barriers to employment, expanding access to training, and investing in equity and opportunity for underserved communities.
Products and services
- Career Training Programs A portfolio of pre-apprenticeship training programs including Boilermaker, Carpenter, Millwright, Manufacturing & Construction Essentials, Hospitality Foundations, Long-Term Care Foundations, CanTrain Cannabis Career Training, and Union Finishing Trades for Women programs that prepare individuals for union careers through hands-on training and employer connections.
- Union-Sponsored Training Coordinated training and Registered Apprenticeship programs for union members including Green Janitor Education Program, Window Cleaning, Community Safety Specialist, Broadband Technician, and Meat Cutters programs, delivered in partnership with SEIU Local 26, UFCW 1189, CWA, and other unions.
- SNAP Employment & Training Two-track program for SNAP recipients offering job search assistance (Track 1) and career advancement support (Track 2) with connections to training and union employment opportunities, available online through smartphone, computer, or other device.
- Dislocated Worker Program Employment and training assistance for workers who lost their jobs in Hennepin County, MN, offering career planning, job search support, education, and support services as part of the State Dislocated Worker Program.
- CLEO Youth Program Community Leadership and Employment Opportunities program empowering youth through leadership development, career exploration, academic support, and connections to community leaders.
- Apprenticeship Assistance Expert services helping unions and businesses create, expand, and administer Registered Apprenticeship programs with free resources for manufacturing-related occupations.
- Minneapolis Community Works Personalized employment services for Minneapolis residents including career exploration, job application help, resume assistance, and connections to union jobs and apprenticeships.
- Paid Leave Public Outreach Statewide initiative to inform workers about Minnesota's Paid Leave program through presentations, ambassador services, educational materials, and technical assistance for unions and employers.
- Earned Sick & Safe Time (ESST) Education Information and resources helping unions and workers understand Minnesota's Earned Sick and Safe Time law effective January 1, 2024.
- Pregnancy & Parenting Workplace Rights Education Education and outreach about expanded workplace protections for pregnant workers and new parents under Minnesota law.
- Donations (The Unity Fund) Fundraising initiative enabling donors to support MTP's mission of connecting people to good union jobs through contributions that remove employment barriers (transportation, childcare, work attire, tools) and expand training access.
Quantifiable outcome
- Connected 1,800+ workers to union employment in first year
Companies that use Minnesota Training Partnership
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Minnesota Training Partnership technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Minnesota Training Partnership partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Minnesota AFL-CIOcoreFounded MTP as a 501c3 nonprofit in 2017. Minnesota AFL-CIO serves 300,000+ members of affiliated unions. MTP remains deeply rooted in Minnesota's labor movement with shared mission of advancing worker equity.
- SEIU Local 26corePartners on Green Janitor Education Program (GJEP), Janitor English program, Window Cleaning over 24 Feet Registered Apprenticeship, and Community Safety Specialist Registered Apprenticeship for union members.
- UFCW 1189corePartners on Meat Cutters Registered Apprenticeship Program. UFCW 1189 also partners on CanTrain cannabis career training program and Long-Term Care Foundations with SEIU Healthcare Minnesota & Iowa.
- CWA (Communication Workers of America)corePartners on Broadband Technician Registered Apprenticeship Program for CWA members.
- Carpenters Training Institute (CTI)coreDelivers Union Millwright Training Program and Union Carpenter Training Program. Pre-apprenticeship training provided at CTI facilities in Twin Cities, Rochester, and Hermantown/Duluth areas.
- Northern Midwest Regional Council of Carpenters (NMRCC)corePartners on Millwright Training Program through affiliated local unions. Connects graduates to union contractors and registered apprenticeship.
- UNITE HERE Local 17corePartners on Hospitality Foundations program as Minnesota's Hospitality Union. Hospitality employers from Twin Cities participate in program hiring.
- UFCW (national)corePartnership with UFCW national on CanTrain Cannabis Career Training Program alongside UFCW 1189, expected to launch in 2026.
- Boilermakers Local 647corePartners on Union Boilermaker Training Program. Graduates connect to Registered Apprenticeship with Boilermakers Local 647 and employment with union signatory contractors.
- Anoka Technical CollegecoreProvides classroom and lab facilities for Boilermaker Training Program. Hands-on training takes place at Anoka Technical College.
- IUPAT DC 82 (International Union of Painters and Allied Trades)corePartners on Union Finishing Trades for Women Program. IUPAT DC 82 is the local union representing finishing trades workers.
- Finishing Trades Institute of the Upper Midwest (FTIUM)coreProvides 4 weeks of hard skills training on-site at FTIUM location in Little Canada, MN for Finishing Trades for Women Program participants.
- The Urban VillagecorePartners on Long-Term Care Foundations program for Karen and Karenni language speakers. Provides culturally and linguistically responsive learning environment at Saint Paul location.
- Saint Paul Public Schools Adult Basic Education (SPPS ABE)corePartners on Hospitality Foundations program to provide educational support and English language learning for participants.
- Saint Paul CollegecoreManufacturing & Construction Essentials program includes job skills training on-site at Saint Paul College (235 Marshall Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55102).
- SEIU Healthcare Minnesota & IowacorePartners on Long-Term Care Foundations program representing long-term care workers in Minnesota alongside UFCW 1189.
- Hubbs Center (Saint Paul Public Schools)coreHospitality Foundations training cohort held at Hubbs Center (1030 University Ave W, St Paul, MN 55104) in Fall 2026.
- Elpis EnterprisesminorCommunity-based organization partnered with MTP to support young adults in achieving household-sustaining employment through career pathways.
- Hubert H. Humphrey Job CorpsminorMTP engages Job Corps students in short-term training programs through career fairs and one-on-one conversations, connecting students to union career pathways.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights10 records
Minnesota Training Partnership competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Helmets to Hardhats: National nonprofit placing military veterans into union building trades apprenticeships and careers. Highly comparable model: union-affiliated, free workforce intermediary, focus on underrepresented candidates entering skilled trades via apprenticeship pathways.
- Per Scholas: National nonprofit providing no-cost technology training and career pathways to adults from low-income and underrepresented backgrounds. Directly comparable free workforce training model with employer partnership placement, though focused on IT rather than skilled trades.
- Year Up: National workforce development nonprofit providing skills training, apprenticeships, and career placement for young adults from underserved communities. Comparable target population (underrepresented young adults), comparable barrier-removal supports, and similar employer-partnership placement model.
- Hire360: Chicago-based nonprofit workforce intermediary connecting underrepresented candidates to unionized construction and building trades careers. Closest structural analog to MTP: founded out of the building trades, partners with unions and employers, operates apprenticeship pipelines, and serves a single metro/regional market.
- Apprenti: National registered apprenticeship intermediary that recruits, screens, and prepares candidates for skilled-trade apprenticeship programs. Directly comparable to MTP's Apprenticeship Assistance function and union pre-apprenticeship pipelines.
Broad incumbents
- National Skills Coalition: National advocacy and policy organization advancing skills training and workforce development, particularly for lower-skilled adults and frontline workers. Comparable mission focus on equitable access to training and apprenticeship, though operates more at policy level than direct service delivery.
- Jobs for the Future (JFF): Large national nonprofit focused on workforce development, particularly for low-wage workers and underrepresented populations. Operates at much greater scale with broader programs (not union-specific) but pursues similar workforce equity and apprenticeship expansion outcomes.
Regional players
- Chicago Jobs Council: Regional workforce intermediary network serving the Chicago area, providing capacity-building and advocacy for workforce development organizations. Comparable intermediary/rallying function within a single metro region but focused on supporting member agencies rather than direct service delivery.
- Workforce Solutions (Dallas/Fort Worth): Regional Workforce Development Board serving the North Texas area, administering publicly funded workforce programs including training and career services. Comparable public-private workforce intermediary model serving a defined regional labor market.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Minnesota Training Partnership social profiles
Digital presenceMinnesota Training Partnership financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Minnesota Training Partnership leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Minnesota Training Partnership funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Minnesota Training Partnership M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Minnesota Training Partnership
What does Minnesota Training Partnership do?
Minnesota Training Partnership is a nonprofit workforce development intermediary that operates pre-apprenticeship career training programs, registered apprenticeships, and employment services to connect underserved and underrepresented workers to union careers. It partners with unions, employers, educational institutions, and community organizations to deliver free training programs across trades such as Boilermaker, Carpenter, Millwright, Hospitality, Long-Term Care, Finishing Trades, and Manufacturing, along with SNAP E&T, Dislocated Worker, and youth programs. All programs are funded through government grants and donations and provided free to eligible participants.
Is Minnesota Training Partnership a public or private company?
Minnesota Training Partnership is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Minnesota Training Partnership founded?
Minnesota Training Partnership was founded in 2017. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Minnesota Training Partnership based?
Minnesota Training Partnership is headquartered in Saint Paul, United States, in the North America region.
How does Minnesota Training Partnership make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Government Grants and Public Funding is the primary driver. The others are donations (Unity Fund).
Who are Minnesota Training Partnership's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Helmets to Hardhats, Per Scholas, Year Up, Hire360 and Apprenti. Broad incumbents are National Skills Coalition and Jobs for the Future (JFF). Regional players are Chicago Jobs Council and Workforce Solutions (Dallas/Fort Worth).
Does Minnesota Training Partnership have an API?
No public API is recorded for Minnesota Training Partnership.
What industry is Minnesota Training Partnership in?
Minnesota Training Partnership's product category is Workforce Development Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACANAK, Apprenticeships, Internships & Work-Based Learning Programs, with a secondary code of EDAAAFAM, Workforce & Job-Seeker Services (Community-Based). Its NAICS code is 611513 and its SIC code is 8200.