WIB News - September 2010 Issue
Register Now for NGA Policy Forum and Development Conference
You won’t want to miss two upcoming events in St. Paul that are sure to inspire, teach and encourage us to take action on workforce issues and economic development.
The National Governors Association Policy Forum on Increasing Postsecondary Credential Attainment for Adults will be held from 8:30 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, Sept. 29. It will be followed by the 15th Annual Minnesota Development Conference, which begins at 12:15 p.m. on Sept. 29 and concludes the following day.
The goal of the National Governors Association (NGA) policy forum is to discuss strategies for increasing postsecondary training and credentials. Minnesota is one of six states to receive funding from the NGA for holding this policy forum, which is free to participants.
Workforce challenges in Minnesota will be among the topics addressed at the event. Minnesota, for example, has a long tradition of producing skilled workers, who are considered the cornerstone of the state’s economic competitiveness. A skilled workforce is among the reasons that more Fortune 500 companies are headquartered in Minnesota than any other state on a per capita basis. But this competitive advantage is eroding rapidly.
Currently, 40 percent of adults have a postsecondary credential (associate level or higher) in Minnesota. By 2018, national projections are that 70 percent of the jobs in the state will require a postsecondary credential. The forum will encourage discussion about how to close the gap.
The agenda will include an overview of Minnesota FastTRAC, an initiative that is designed to improve education and employment outcomes of adult Minnesotans, especially those lacking basic skills.
DEED Commissioner Dan McElroy and Linda Baer of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will be among the featured speakers. Other presentations will be given by representatives from the NGA, the Center on Law and Social Policy, the states of Washington and Wisconsin, and the Governors Workforce Development Council.
The forum will be followed by the 15th Annual Minnesota Development Conference. This year’s conference will focus on new strategies to keep Minnesota growing and vibrant while building on the partnerships between economic development, workforce development and education professionals that have contributed to our past success.
Two keynote speakers are planned for the general sessions: John Van Dine, president and CEO of SAGE Electrochromics in Faribault, and David Zach, a futurist from the Milwaukee area.
Both the policy forum and the development conference will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel St. Paul Riverfront, 11 E. Kellogg Boulevard. There is still time to sign up for both events. Registration is available for one or both events. The Policy Forum is offered free. The Development Conference costs $199 to attend. For further information or to register, click here.
The NGA policy forum is sponsored by the NGA and DEED with funding from the Lumina Foundation.
Model WFC in South Minneapolis
During a visit to the WorkForce Center in South Minneapolis on August 19, Commissioner Mignon Clyburn of the Federal Communications Commission called the Center a model for meeting its customers’ needs. Clyburn emphasized the importance of high-speed Internet Service for job seekers. She called Broadband (high-speed Internet) “the great equalizer,” whether it’s for healthcare, education or other purposes, she said.
Access to broadband and online resources is especially significant for job seekers to succeed. In fact, most Fortune 500 companies will only accept online job applications, she noted.
“It’s important for the Internet to be affordable, as well as accessible,” she said.
And Minnesota is committed to these goals. Kathy Carney, a WorkForce Center Manager in South Minneapolis, gave Clyburn a tour including the resource room and the “Zone”, showing many online resources and ways that technology is used to meet customers’ needs, both for job search and applications for UI benefits. MinnesotaWorks.net, CareerOneStop and ISEEK websites are all tools accessed online.
In Minnesota, customers use a modernized online system for both collecting unemployment insurance taxes and paying benefits, the only one with both components in the nation.
Without the WorkForce Center, many customers would have limited access to the Internet and online resources that help them apply for jobs, explore careers, and apply for unemployment insurance benefits, according to Carney.
WorkForce Centers continue to make progress meeting the goal of making the Internet more accessible. One key initiative is a plan to offer digital literacy classes to WorkForce Center customers.
The digital literacy classes will be offered at 30 sites in Greater Minnesota in cooperation with WorkForce Centers beginning in early 2011. The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development in coordination with Adult Basic Education is designing an eight-hour digital literacy training course that teaches customers digital literacy and use of online tools offered by the WorkForce Center System.
Resources to be covered include those from ISEEK, CareerOneStop, and Minnesotaworks.net. These classes will strengthen WorkForce Center customers' digital literacy, said Laura Nedved, who is the project manager.
The digital literacy classes are funded by a $924,000 broadband Technology Opportunities Program Grant (BTOP) from the U.S. Department of Commerce through the Blandin Foundation.
The digital literacy class initiative is one of many that the Blandin Foundation is funding through the BTOP grant.
For more information about the initiative contact Nedved at 651-259-7237.
Minnesota State Energy Sector Partnership Awards 14 Green Training Grants
The Minnesota State Energy Sector Partnership has awarded 14 green grants totaling more than $1.1 million to train Minnesotans for jobs in energy efficiency and renewable energy.
The energy sector partnership is an initiative of the Governor’s Workforce Development Council (GWDC).
"These 14 critical investments will strengthen our energy economy and build training and talent development partnerships to meet industry needs in Minnesota," said Cyndi Lesher, chair of GWDC and co-chair of the energy sector partnership.
"The grants exhibit innovation and collaboration," added Inez Wildwood, co-chair of the energy sector partnership. "As a result, a well-trained workforce will have access to sustainable career pathways for the emerging green economy."
The grantees are:
$100,000 – Anoka County Job Training Center in partnership with Kraus-Anderson Construction Co. and Anoka Technical College to provide Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) training in sustainable construction.
$100,000 – Anoka-Ramsey Community College in partnership with SarTec Corp. and Ever Cat Fuels LLC to provide training and certification for biofuels production technicians.
$63,500 – Center for Energy and Environment in partnership with Houle Installation, G.R. Danielson Insulation and Energy Savers Insulation to provide on-the-job training for residential energy efficiency.
$99,125 – Central Lakes College in partnership with Zenergy, Jim’s Electric Co. Inc., RetroGreen Energy and the Rural Renewable Energy Alliance to offer regional short-term job readiness in energy efficiency and electric power generation.
$100,000 – City Academy in partnership with Dayton’s Bluff Neighborhood Housing Services for career training in green construction certification with the National Center for Construction Education and Research and on-the-job training at energy efficient construction sites.
$50,000 – City of St. Paul in partnership with the University of Minnesota Center for Sustainable Building Research for training on sustainable building codes.
$99,891 – Dakota County Technical College in partnership with Siemens Energy Inc. to develop a mobile training system designed to produce a highly skilled electric power sector workforce in the area of clean-energy smart grid technology.
$85,935 – Easy Energy Systems Inc. in partnership with Martin County West School District to provide internships at businesses that manufacture modular ethanol systems and provide automation technology for the renewable energy industry.
$100,000 – Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College in partnership with Common Grounds Construction LLC to provide building performance training certification.
$100,000 – Honeywell International Inc. in partnership with Goodwill/Easter Seals Minnesota, with support from Teamsters Local Union No. 1145, to train workers in energy efficiency.
$40,000 – Metro Area Sheet Metal Joint Apprenticeship and Training Center in partnership with the Sheet Metal, Air Conditioning and Roofing Contractors of Minnesota, and the Minnesota Building and Construction Trades Council to provide LEED construction training and certifications in green construction.
$61,233 – Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians in partnership with Nor-son and the Red Lake Housing and Redevelopment Authority for occupational training and skills development for green construction, including on-the-job training and Adult Basic Education services.
$56,701 – South Central College in partnership with RW Carlstrom, Met-Con Construction, and MTU Onsite Energy for LEED accredited professional certification.
$89,850 – Southwest Minnesota Private Industry Council in partnership with AES Wind Generation and Granite Falls Ethanol to train entry-level employees in the biofuels industry.
More information about the Minnesota State Energy Sector Partnership is available here.
Resource for Tracking Grants to Go Online
A new online resource that will enable users to find appropriate job training programs and track grant opportunities is expected to be launched this fall. The new tool is in its final stage of development, according to Jane Xiong, a DEED management analyst and member of the project planning team. The Minnesota Department of Commerce–Office of Energy Security, DEED and the Governors Workforce Development Council are collaborating on the project.
“Customers, guidance and job counselors, and other workforce development practitioners will appreciate its powerful search capabilities,” Xiong said.
The database will include many training opportunities to prepare customers for jobs in renewable and energy efficient industries, health care and manufacturing. These industries are emphasized because they have high potential for job growth. The tool, however, will also contain training opportunities in other sectors.
Accessing information will be easier and quicker than in the past, thanks to the tool’s capabilities for searching grants, projects and proposals by region, sector and industry. Timely information is important because of deadlines that must be met for grant proposals, program registrations and other purposes, she explained.
Identifying potential project partners will also be simpler, which could strengthen proposals for funding workforce development projects statewide, she added.
The initiative highlights the collaboration between state agencies, as well as the way state government, higher education, community-based organizations and businesses are successfully using resources, according to Xiong.
For more information about the project, contact Xiong at 651-259-7595.
Andrews Receives Lifetime Achievement Award
David Andrews, chief technology officer for State Services for the Blind, received the 2010 C. Stanley Potter Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Association of Audio Information Services (IAAIS). He was recognized during the group’s conference in Dallas on June 3-6.
The award recognized Andrew’s work in furthering the mission of IAAIS. The group supports services that make printed information available in audio formats to those who cannot read conventional print because of disabilities or health conditions.
Andrews has worked at SSB for the past 14 years, first as director of the communication center and more recently as chief technology officer and director of the adaptive and assistive technology unit. In addition, he is a mailing list and site administrator at the National Federation of the Blind.
Prior to joining SSB, he held a variety of positions that supported information access for disabled people. He has worked at the National Federation of the Blind’s International Braille and Technology Center, the New Jersey Library for the Blind and Handicapped, and the Audio-Reader Network at the University of Kansas.
The award was named for Stan Potter, a Minnesotan who was the longtime director of State Services for the Blind. Potter is best known for establishing Radio Talking Book, the first radio reading service in the country when it was created in Minnesota in 1969.
Job Search Classes Offered to Offenders
Offenders in state correctional facilities are learning job-search skills prior to their release, thanks to classes developed by the Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC), state WorkForce Centers and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).
More than 200 pre-release employment classes have been scheduled this year at state correctional facilities in Shakopee, Faribault, Willow River, Moose Lake, Rush City, Lino Lakes, Stillwater, Oak Park Heights, St. Cloud, Red Wing and Togo. The classes, instructed by WorkForce Center staff, are primarily for adult offenders.
“DEED has offered some employment workshops and services focusing on the needs of former offenders for many years now,” said Jim Korkki, DEED adult services director. “The new agency agreement with DOC formalizes our relationship and builds the capacity needed to bring classes onsite in correctional facilities throughout the state.”
The classes cover identifying skills, writing a resume and job application, finding job leads, using job-search websites, preparing for interviews and responding to difficult questions.
The classes also include information on two programs former offenders can bring to the attention of potential employers.
One of the programs, the Minnesota Federal Bonding Service, takes the risk out of hiring workers who may concern employers, offering no-cost insurance that protects employers against employee theft of money or property. The second program is the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, a federal tax credit to encourage private-sector employers to hire workers in certain groups that experience high rates of unemployment.
Employment-related and transition assistance will be available to former offenders once they are released from state correctional facilities. The assistance includes workshops; access to Minnesota WorkForce Center services; referrals to housing, education and community groups; and follow-up help.
Korkki said materials, information and strategies for helping former offenders find and keep jobs will be shared with WorkForce Center staff statewide.
For more information on the classes, contact Korkki at 651-259-7544 or Jim.Korkki@state.mn.us.
Minnesota Manufacturers Week Set for Oct. 25-29
The manufacturing industry plays a significant role in the health of Minnesota’s economy, according to Debra Bultnick, manufacturing liaison at the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). With nearly one in seven jobs tied to the industry, manufacturing is the backbone of our economy and a source of stability and prosperity statewide.
To recognize manufacturing’s importance in Minnesota and to celebrate and promote the industry, the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, DEED, the Minnesota Precision Manufacturing Association and the Minnesota Manufacturing Coalition are sponsoring Minnesota Manufacturers Week on Oct. 25-29. Cities, local chambers of commerce, trade associations and manufacturers are encouraged to host their own events throughout the month.
Information on Minnesota Manufacturers Week – event planning, communications ideas, proclamations and a calendar of events – is available here. For more details, send an e-mail to Bultnick or call her at 612-298-2592.
ISEEK Launches Manufacturing Website
The ISEEK website now features information about careers, education and jobs in manufacturing.
Visitors to the website can:
- Explore careers in manufacturing by industry;
- See manufacturing pathways and find post-secondary programs; and
- Find occupations in demand in a given region and job openings in manufacturing.
To check out the website, click here.
Mark Your Calendar for Career Event
Spread the word: A free event, “Rejuvenate Your Career and Future,” is set for Sept. 28 from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Thrivent Financial for Lutherans corporate auditorium, 625 Fourth Ave. South, Minneapolis. The purpose is to connect Minnesotans with the best possible careers. The agenda features presentations about regional competitiveness, industry trends, ways to improve your retirement outlook, career competitiveness, and using a business publication to keep abreast of industry and career developments. The event will also include door prizes.
The North Oaks Group of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans is sponsoring the event. Co-hosts are the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, Normandale Community College, Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal and Arbez.
Registration for the event begins at 7:30 a.m.
To sign up, click here. For more details, call 651-635-0500.
Check Out Customer Success Stories
Two success stories about WorkForce Center customers are featured in the spring issue of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities magazine. The stories are published in a section called “Switching Gears.”
Rochester customer lands “perfect job”
Steve Grote, a laid-off truck driver from Zumbrota, was able to launch a new career as a lock operator. Services from the WorkForce Center in Rochester and classes at Rochester Community and Technical College helped make this possible. Read more about him in the article, “From the Road to the River.”
Dislocated Worker Program customers find new career opportunity
Chris and Cheryl Lofgren, both laid off from their jobs at Fridley-based Cummins Power Generation, enrolled in an occupational certificate program in metal inert gas welding. The Dislocated Worker Program paid for their tuition, books and welding supplies, gas mileage to and from classes, and day care for their daughter during class. Both of the Lofgrens successfully completed the program. As a result of their certificates and new skills, the company told them to come back to work as welders. They are featured in an article entitled “Sparks Fly for the Lofgrens.”
To read the articles, click here.
Key Program Contacts
Key Publication Contacts
Kathy Sweeney
WIB Newsletter Director
651-297-5151
Kathy.Sweeney@state.mn.us
Irene Connors
WIB Newsletter Editor
651-259-7162
irene.connors@state.mn.us
We Need Your Feedback
We're trying to make this newsletter as timely and useful as we possibly can and, to accomplish that goal, we need to know what you want to know. We need and welcome any feedback you can offer – especially concerning topics of broad statewide or regional interest to the WIBs and all other partners. To register your questions, comments, complaints and suggestions, simply send an email to Kathy.Sweeney@state.mn.us. We'll do our best to address your concerns directly and use your feedback to help us develop articles for future editions of the newsletter.