When people say that HTC really cares about students, they are right. Just ask Michael Phillips, a student in the Medium/Heavy Truck program, who lost all his belongings when an apartment fire in August 2011 left him with just the clothes on his back. Literally.

The six of us would not have gotten through without Hennepin Tech. That is what May 2012 graduate Kathy Kurke says about the journey she and five other paraprofessionals from local school districts took to complete training to become licensed practical nurses.

For HTC graduate John Dolezal, HTC was more than a place to attend classes and prepare for transferring to the University of Minnesota to complete a bachelors degree in Manufacturing Management. As a graduate of the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf, Dolezal also relied on Hennepin Technical Colleges staff of interpreters to help him in class so he could get the most out of his HTC training.

Owning a business is great, but it is not always a bed of roses. That is what HTC graduate John Malikowski, owner of Blooming Creations in Waite Park, Minn., will tell you. In fact, he has been sharing the realities of floral and gift shop ownership with HTC students for the past four years as one of the floral professionals that HTC Instructor Tiffany Hammond invites to speak to her students.

Operating a submarine without going underwater used to be reserved for science fiction. Thanks to advanced technologies, it is just another day on the job for HTC graduate Justin Ross. With training in automated robotics and fluid power, plus his own perseverance, he launched a career with starting pay in the $70,000 a year range.