Target partners with Summit Academy to create IT training center in north Minneapolis

Target announced Monday that it is partnering with Summit Academy to create a new training center for careers in information technology in north Minneapolis.

The company said the move is part of its ongoing efforts to advance social justice and promote racial equity in the Twin Cities.

Target said it is supporting Summit Academy with space in the Regional Acceleration Center (RAC) to help Summit Academy establish the North Star Innovation Center (NSIC), which will focus on training people specifically for careers in IT and new technologies.

Summit Academy trains about 1,000 people each year with skills in health care, construction trades and IT, along with a 10-week GED program. Students are able to attend without paying for any tuition out of pocket or student loans.

"The North Star Innovation Center will be an inspiring and transformative place where Black men and women will build new opportunities for themselves and their families," said Summit Academy OIC’s President and CEO Louis King. "Alongside Target and the Northside community, we’re taking action against racial inequity. Thousands will have their lives changed at the North Star Innovation Center, as it’s a tangible, real, concrete way for us to create a better future, where people of all races can do something to help themselves and to help others. This space will be a place where people demonstrate that the best social service program is a job."

"We’ve invested in North Minneapolis to support a strong quality of life for families in the neighborhood, and the Regional Acceleration Center is an important part of that investment," added Brian Cornell, chairman and CEO of Target. "With its expertise in helping Black families and other residents overcome social and racial inequities, Summit Academy is an excellent community resource. We’re proud to welcome them to the RAC and to work together to advance racial equity in our hometown."

In June, Target pledged $10 million to advance social justice and support recovery efforts following the death of George Floyd and the ensuing unrest. The company said it has invested more than $11 million in north Minneapolis in the past decade.

The NSIC is expected to be open for Summit Academy’s February enrollment.