Community News
Job Training Initiative Launched for High-Demand Jobs Drive for 5 Workforce Initiative was announced for technology, the trades, caring professions, manufacturing, and education occupations
In October, Governor Tim Walz and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) launched the Drive for 5 Workforce Initiative, a major new effort to prepare more Minnesotans for high-demand jobs in five occupational categories: technology, the trades, caring professions, manufacturing, and education. "Whether it's teaching our students or innovating in technology, Minnesota has hundreds of employers looking to fill good-paying jobs, and we're working to ensure Minnesotans have access to the training they need to fill them," said Governor Walz. " The five occupational groupings offer high-demand jobs, are projected to be high-growth in the years ahead, and provide family-sustaining wages for workers – making them important sectors for both Minnesota's economy and Minnesotans looking to join the labor force. Through Drive for 5, DEED will partner with workforce development institutions around Minnesota, which will implement or expand job training programs for specific occupational paths. The training programs will be designed to help Minnesotans prepare for and find jobs on an in-demand career path – providing job-ready skills for Minnesota workers and growing Minnesota's workforce for employers looking to hire. "Drive for 5 is one of the ways DEED is delivering for Minnesota workers and employers," said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek. "This is a strategic approach to two of Minnesota's most challenging problems: employment disparities faced by some of our fellow Minnesotans and a labor force shortage that creates many difficulties for employers looking to hire. We're excited to engage sector partnerships to work together in overcoming these challenges." Sector partnerships that receive Drive for 5 funding through DEED will provide training that leads to high-quality job placements in these occupations, breaking down barriers to good employment for Minnesotans who have long faced higher unemployment, lower wages, and more tenuous connections to work. Localized sector partnerships are
essential to ensure education and training programs are reflective of employers' needs in their local labor markets, facilitating faster job placement for program participants and helping to create a steady talent pipeline for in-demand positions in communities across the state. Minnesota's economy added about 50,000 jobs over the past year, and nearly 200,000 jobs remain open in Minnesota as employers try to find enough workers to fill these vacancies. Job demand over the past two years was at or near record highs in every region of the state and in most industries, with many openings providing opportunities for career growth and family-sustaining wages. View details about job vacancies and projected demand, as well as median wages and educational requirements for positions in the Drive for 5 occupational groups in the article Minnesota’s Drive For 5 Initiative from DEED’s Labor Market Information Office and Governor’s Workforce Development Board. Interested applicants are urged to submit their proposal by December 11, 2023. More information can be found here: https://mn.gov/deed/about/contracts/open-rfp.jsp
NOVEMBER 2023 — ROCHESTER AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ADVANTAGE MAGAZINE | 25
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