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Two Tribal Colleges Picked for Energy Department Workforce Grants
Leech Lake Tribal College and Navajo Technical University were selected to build programs in mapping technology and industrial inspection.
Filed November 9, 2026 · 📍 MN 56633
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Key points
- Leech Lake Tribal College selected for about $2 million for a geospatial certificate
- Navajo Technical University selected for $299,934 for a nondestructive-testing lab with ASU
- Both are selections for negotiation, not final awards
Two tribal colleges have been selected by the U.S. Department of Energy for workforce training projects [1].
Leech Lake Tribal College in Cass Lake, Minnesota, was picked for about $2 million to launch a geospatial certificate, training students in the mapping and data skills used by utilities, land managers and emergency planners [1].
Navajo Technical University in Crownpoint, New Mexico, was selected for $299,934 to set up a nondestructive-testing lab in partnership with Arizona State University. Nondestructive testing is how inspectors check pipelines, welds and aircraft parts for flaws without damaging them [1].
The selections are for negotiation and are not final awards yet [1].
Tribal colleges are some of the best bargains in American higher education, training students close to home for jobs that pay. These two projects aim squarely at skills employers are hiring for now.
Sources
- [1]Tribal Business NewsDOE selects two tribal colleges for workforce development initiativeOpens in a new tab ↗
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