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Taconite University - or TacU - was one of five Targeted Industry Partnerships (TIP's) initiated by the Minnesota State Legislature and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) system. This particular TIP was aimed at several educational, training, workforce, and communications objectives relating to the mining industry in northeastern Minnesota: A more constructive and open dialogue with area educators around mining industry workforce projections. Enthusiastic advocacy for sustaining the quality of life in this part of the state by promoting the mining industry, area 'schools, and the good jobs that are and will be available to well educated and trained workers. A commitment to lifelong learning and an individual's pursuit of purposeful work - first, in northeastern Minnesota and, then, in the mining industry or related businesses. At TacU these objectives were brought together under the theme, "Schools, Skills and Jobs." During the past year, Taconite University also partnered with the East Range Economic Response Team to participate in their Worker Response and Retention Team in light of the closing of LTV Steel Mining Company's operation located in Hoyt Lakes, Minnesota. The team reviewed ways to evaluate the workforce at LTV Steel and develop training needs for those that will be laid-off in 2001. Matching an individual's interests and skills with appropriate educational opportunities and, ultimately, with meaningful and economically viable employment begins with a solid assessment and current database of what regional employers in the mining industry (and related businesses) are looking for. Taconite University contracted with a state-of-the-art professional resource to achieve this objective. SkillsNET™ is a fast-growing company that develops and implements skill-based and knowledge-based development and management systems. The revolutionary technologies developed and marketed by SkillsNET™ enable companies to quickly and efficiently migrate to a dynamic, skill-based culture where employees value learning, and worker capacity and performance increase dramatically, enabling both large and small companies to grow and leverage their intellectual capital. SkillsNET™'s solutions are developed around the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) framework for occupational analysis and classification. The outputs of the SkillsNET™ process are SkillObjects™. SkillObjects™ describe work performed, the knowledge, skills and abilities required for each task, the unique tools and unique knowledge require to perform the SkillObjects™ are performance requirements for the SkillObjects™. The system uses incumbent workers as Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) in the development of the skills information. TacU provided current skills assessment information to regional K-12 districts, technical and community colleges, as well as every work-based organization capable of promoting our primary goal: getting qualified people into good jobs which contribute to the overall quality of life in the northeastern region of Minnesota. Taconite University officially completed it's work on June 30th, 2001. For more information relating to economic and educational developments in Northeastern Minnesota, we encourage you to visit "TrueNorth" online at www.truenorth.mnscu.edu. True North has been launched as a regional strategy, embracing the larger view of Northeastern Minnesota as a viable place to live, learn and work and as a recognized resource in the global marketplace.