|
Job Demand High in Brainerd Area
Brainerd Dispatch-9/6/15
The growth in available jobs in the Brainerd area has been a major turnaround since the days of the Great Recession and its long, arduous recovery. With that part of the state experiencing a high demand for workers, DEED's Cameron Macht said the pressure will be on to attract younger people or keep people in the labor force longer to utilize their skills. But, he said, there is also a lot of opportunity for growth in bringing in people who are in the population but not currently in the labor pool -- younger people, minorities and people with disabilities.
Central Minnesota Businesses on JCF List
St. Cloud Times-9/3/15
Four companies with ties to Central Minnesota have received funding from DEED's Job Creation Fund. St. Cloud-based Park Industries and Dubow Textile, Avon-based Blattner Energy and Cottage Grove-based Werner Electric — which operates a facility in St. Cloud — have received a combined $1.7 million from the state’s $24 million fund that was approved during the 2013 legislative session.
 |
|
The latest installment in our blog series on America's Top State for Business 2015 looks at technology and innovation in Minnesota. Read the details here. |
Technology jobs are growing faster in Minnesota than in any other state. New data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics show that the Minnesota tech workforce climbed 8.36 percent in the last six months to 37,600 workers.
|
 DEED Jobs Fund Completes First Round
DEED has allocated all $24 million that was approved in the 2013 legislative session for the Job Creation Fund. Since DEED launched the program in January 2014, a total of 46 companies in Minnesota have committed to creating 3,156 jobs and investing more than $497 million. Twenty of the companies participating in the program are in Greater Minnesota. The Legislature approved an additional $25 million for the program in the last session.
State Job Vacancies at 14-Year High
Job vacancies in Minnesota climbed to 98,000 in the second quarter of 2015, a 15.7 percent increase from the same period a year ago, according to DEED figures. Minnesota had 1.2 unemployed people for each vacancy during the period, compared with 1.6 unemployed people per vacancy a year ago. Total vacancies in the quarter were the highest since the second quarter of 2001, when state employers had 115,072 job openings.
Four Companies Announce Expansions
Four Minnesota companies announced plans last week to expand with $2.37 million in assistance from DEED's Job Creation Fund. The companies are Ability Network Inc. in Minneapolis, Fast Manufacturing in Windom, Polaris Industries in Wyoming and Prime Therapeutics in Mendota Heights. Combined, they will create 525 new jobs and invest more than $16 million.
 DEED and the Minnesota Trade Office are among the sponsors of Friday's Minnesota Water Technology Summit at the University of Minnesota. A diverse set of industry, academic and government experts will be on hand to talk about the latest issues in the water industry. Water reuse and recovery, commercialization, water risk and conservation, the regulatory
environment and more are on the agenda. Go here for more details.
|
