In the News

Rapid Response Team in Madelia
KEYC-TV-2/11/16
DEED's Rapid Response Team was in Madelia last week to help workers who lost their jobs after the recent business district fire that devastated the town. The team provided information on resources that may be available to those affected by the disaster, from the Dislocated Worker Program to unemployment insurance benefits. "The fire in Madelia right now created a lot of loss and it impacted the community, so we have to step in and help them out," said DEED's Mohammad Gaba.

Changing Demographics in St. Cloud
St. Cloud Times-2/11/16
The makeup of Central Minnesota has been changing rapidly in the past several years, and that change is here to stay. DEED regional analyst Luke Greiner told a St. Cloud audience last week that the population of the St. Cloud Metropolitan Statistical Area grew 2.4 percent from 2009 to 2014. During that same period, the African American population in the region grew 115.8 percent and the Latino population grew 43.5 percent.

Did You Know?

Two Minnesota businesses made the 2016 Global 100 index – a list of the 100 most sustainable companies in the world. Ecolab was 50th and General Mills was 69th. Only three other U.S. companies ranked higher than Ecolab on the list.

Recent Press Releases

DEED Seeks Input on Workforce Diversity
DEED will survey over 3,000 employers statewide to understand how Minnesota businesses are addressing workforce diversity, then create resources for businesses to increase the diversity of their workforce. Employers will be asked to tell DEED about their diversity management practices. Businesses won't be asked to identify themselves, but they will be asked to name their industry, the region in which their business is located, and the approximate size of their workforce.

Sil-Pro Expanding With DEED Support
Contract medical device manufacturer Sil-Pro LLC is planning an $11 million expansion of its corporate campus in Delano. The company, which specializes in developing and manufacturing silicone and thermoplastic medical devices and components, plans to add 57,000 square feet to an existing building and create 104 jobs. DEED is assisting the company with the expansion with $790,000 from the Job Creation Fund.

Serving Our Clients

DEED’s Vocational Rehabilitation program touched the lives of nearly 18,000 Minnesotans with disabilities last year. Of that number, more than 3,100 people obtained employment – an increase of 235 from 2014. That and other facts, figures, data and success stories about the Vocational Rehabilitation program are featured in the 2015 annual report published by the Minnesota State Rehabilitation Council. Go here to read it.