Biomedical Electronics & Technology Academy (BETA)

BETA: Biomedical Technology Career Pathway

College Credit. Real World Experience. A Career Pathway Before Graduation.

The Biomedical Electronics & Technology Academy, or BETA, gives students the opportunity to explore one of healthcare’s most important behind the scenes career fields while still in high school.

Through college level learning, hands on experiences, industry exposure & direct connection with professionals, students can begin building technical skills, confidence & career direction before graduation. BETA is designed to connect classroom learning with real workforce opportunities in biomedical equipment technology & related healthcare technology careers.

What Is BETA?

BETA is a career connected learning  experience that introduces high school students to biomedical equipment technology through a combination of academic instruction, real world learning & industry engagement.

Students gain exposure to the technology used throughout healthcare environments while developing skills that can support future education, credentials & employment. The academy brings together education, healthcare, workforce & industry partners to create a pathway that helps students better understand where their interests and abilities can lead.

Why Biomedical Technology?

Modern healthcare depends on sophisticated equipment every day. Biomedical equipment professionals help install, maintain, troubleshoot, test & support the technology used by healthcare teams to care for patients. This career field combines technology, electronics, problem solving, healthcare, communication & hands on technical work.

For students who enjoy working with technology and want a meaningful career connected to healthcare, biomedical equipment technology can offer an exciting path with opportunities for continued education and advancement.

What Students Experience

BETA is designed to move learning beyond the classroom. Students may experience:

• College level and dual enrollment coursework
• Hands on technical learning
• Exposure to biomedical equipment and healthcare technology
• Virtual reality and emerging technology applications
• Artificial intelligence concepts and applications
• Networking and cybersecurity fundamentals
• Direct interaction with healthcare and industry professionals
• Career exploration and workplace exposure
• Internship and work based learning opportunities
• Opportunities to earn college credit and prepare for continued education

The goal is not simply to introduce students to a career. It is to help them understand what the work looks like, what skills it requires & what steps they can take next.

From High School to Career

BETA helps students begin building a pathway before graduation.

High School Learning: Students explore biomedical technology, technical skills & career options.

College Credit & Credentials: Participants can begin earning college level experience and building toward future credentials.

Industry Experience: Students connect with professionals, healthcare environments & real workplace expectations.

Postsecondary Education: Students can continue into biomedical equipment technology, electronics, engineering technology, healthcare technology or related programs.

Career Opportunities: The pathway can lead toward careers supporting medical equipment, healthcare technology, clinical engineering & other technical healthcare systems.

Built Through Partnership

BETA is powered by a strong regional and national network of education, healthcare, workforce and industry partners. Southeast Service Cooperative serves as the convener and project lead, bringing together Mayo Clinic, the College of Biomedical Equipment Technology, Benchmark, Agiliti and participating school districts including Dover Eyota, Pine Island and Zumbrota Mazeppa to create a meaningful pathway from high school learning to college credit, hands on experience and future employment.

Mayo Clinic provides industry expertise, mentoring, workplace learning opportunities and paid internship experiences, while the College of Biomedical Equipment Technology provides college level curriculum and instruction. Benchmark and Agiliti add valuable technical, workforce and industry perspective, helping ensure students are exposed to the skills, technologies and career opportunities shaping the field.

BETA is also connected to a broader national effort through Jobs for the Future’s Advancing AI Resilient Early Career Pathways initiative, supported by Google.org and the Families and Workers Fund. That connection helps position the work happening in Southeast Minnesota within a larger conversation about preparing young people for durable, technology driven careers and building stronger pathways between education and the workforce.

Together, these partnerships give students more than career awareness. They create a connected pathway that combines education, industry experience, professional relationships and real opportunities for what comes next.

BETA Stories & Insights

Follow the BETA story through ongoing features highlighting students, educators, employers, workforce needs, emerging technology & the future of career connected learning.

New stories will be posted bi-weekly and explore topics including:

• Biomedical technology careers
• Student experiences
• College and career pathways
• Artificial intelligence and future ready skills
• Employer partnerships
• Work based learning
• Industry demand
• Program outcomes
• Student and educator perspectives
• Opportunities to expand the model

Interested in BETA?

BETA creates opportunities for students, schools, and employers to connect around meaningful career exploration and workforce development.

Students and Families
BETA gives students an opportunity to explore biomedical technology careers before graduation while gaining exposure to college level learning, hands on experiences and real workplace environments. Families can learn more about how the program helps students build confidence, career awareness and a clearer understanding of possible next steps after high school.

Schools
BETA provides schools with a meaningful way to connect students to career connected learning in a high demand technical field. Through partnerships with postsecondary institutions, healthcare organizations and industry professionals, schools can help students see how classroom learning connects to real careers, college pathways and future opportunities.

Employers and Industry Partners
Employers and industry partners play an important role in helping students understand what careers actually look like, what skills are needed and how workplaces are changing. By participating in BETA, partners can help strengthen the future talent pipeline while giving students valuable exposure to real people, real environments and real career possibilities.

Interested in learning more about BETA or exploring how your school, organization or business can become part of this work? Southeast Service Cooperative is helping connect students with meaningful career pathways, industry experiences and opportunities that prepare them for what comes next. Learn more about BETA, follow upcoming stories and connect with our team to explore how you can get involved!

 

Contact: Sarah Ness, Development Director, (507) 281-6678, sness@ssc.coop