Dayton-Smith Administration committed to helping workers and businesses succeed, building an economy that works for everyone
ST. PAUL, MN – Governor Mark Dayton has proclaimed the month of September to be “
Workforce Development Month” in Minnesota. The Dayton-Smith Administration is committed to building an economy that works for all Minnesotans, everywhere in our state, and to ensuring businesses have the skilled workforce and talent pipeline they need to thrive.
“Minnesota's economic success is due first and foremost to our highly trained and highly educated workforce,” said Governor Mark Dayton. “But that success is not by accident. We must continue to invest in critical job training and education programs, if we are to build a better Minnesota, that works for all Minnesotans.”
The State of Minnesota will invest more than $111.7 million in workforce development in this fiscal year. During the 2015 Legislative Session, Governor Dayton and Lt. Governor Smith secured a historic $35 million investment to improve opportunities for people of color, women, youth, people with disabilities, and veterans.
“Our state is forecast to have a shortage of more than 100,000 workers by 2020. This is a reminder that we can’t afford to waste the talent of a single Minnesotan,” said Lt. Governor Tina Smith. “Investments in education and workforce development are critical to ensuring all Minnesotans are ready for good jobs, and to building an economy that works for everyone, everywhere in Minnesota.”
The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) and its partners provide a broad range of workforce resources, programs, and services for adults and youth as well as for businesses. Last year, more than 116,000 job seekers found a job within 90 days of the last service they accessed through DEED.
“Our dedicated workforce development professionals play a vital role in helping people identify and achieve their career goals in efforts to secure family-sustaining wages,” said DEED Commissioner Shawntera Hardy. “They also help employers find and retain the workers they need to succeed in today’s fast-changing marketplace.”
Among the workforce development resources, programs, and services available through DEED:
- A network of 48 WorkForce Centers across the state staffed by experienced professionals. More than 90,000 job seekers visited a WorkForce Center in 2015.
- Employment-related workshops, classes and hands-on training are provided by DEED and its partners. Over 28,000 attendees took part in these opportunities in 2015.
- A no-fee online job bank – MinnesotaWorks.net – which helps connect people with open positions. Employers posted 800,000 jobs, and job seekers conducted 4 million searches through MinnesotaWorks.net in 2015.
- A network of professional business service representatives who specialize in helping businesses find solutions to many of their workforce challenges. They conduct more than 500 business consultations each month. Their efforts include connecting employers to hiring and retention resources, including recruitment events, tax credits, labor market information, state labor exchange, training providers and employer workshops.
- A wide range of state-supported training and apprenticeship programs that help individuals develop in-demand skills.
Find out more about the workforce development services DEED offers
job seekers and
employers. Contact your local
WorkForce Center to see if they’re hosting an open house or other events in September.
