Welcome to
Finishing Trades Institute of the Upper Midwest:
A new model for higher education.
Careers in the finishing trades are in high demand.
They only require progress toward a high school diploma or the equivalent to get started.
Career and Technical Education (CTE) pushes students to become the best they can be.
Our grant-funded Worker Readiness Programs have placed over 60% of program completers into Apprenticeship Programs, leading to safe and fruitful careers.
Apprenticeship Programs employ 100% of participants.
As a society, we need to start giving young people the choice of going to a traditional college or university, or educating them about the diverse array of debt-free opportunities that exist in the finishing trades.
FTIUM doesn’t only make graduates.
We make careers.
FTIUM doesn’t only make graduates.
We make careers.
The Finishing Trades Institute of the Upper Midwest has established referral and recruitment pipelines that foster equitable access to its educational programs. We continue to deepen our commitment to recruiting and retaining an inclusive student body to ensure that no student will be denied participation based on gender, race, national origin, color, disability, or age.
The Finishing Trades Institute of the Upper Midwest has made significant gains in diversity in recent years. Minnesota’s Department of Labor and Industry reporting recently reflected that 47.6% of the institution’s apprentices are women and/or people of color. This is illustrative of the school’s unmatched success at providing equity to future career candidates and its ability to impact a variety of underserved communities in the Twin Cities, greater Minnesota, western Wisconsin.
Below are some steps the Finishing Trade Institute of the Upper Midwest will take to ensure equitable access to all technical and academic programming:
- Deliberately and prudently recruit students from a diverse array of community partners.
- Deliberately and prudently recruit students from a diverse array of area high schools from low socioeconomic backgrounds.
- Solicit and use constructive recommendations from new program contacts regarding ways to improve Finishing Trades Institute of the Upper Midwest equity in access and participation.
Videos
Take a virtual tour to learn more about our facility!
Learn more