Ling Becker, WIB Executive Director

Welcome to the relaunch of the Workforce Innovation Board of Ramsey County (WIB) newsletter. We are excited to share monthly news and information to our community partners. In each edition, you will find upcoming events, relevant labor market information, inclusive hiring strategies and features on businesses and partners to name a few.

As we continue to respond to the needs of our residents and businesses in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, we recognize how fortunate we are to have a robust workforce development ecosystem in Ramsey County. Aligning and uplifting those varied resources is a critical role of the WIB. Thank you for your interest and partnership.

April is Technology Workforce Month in Minnesota. It’s an opportunity to draw attention to the state's technology workforce and its importance to Minnesota’s economy.

Learn more about the virtual events taking place during Tech Month, including two panel discussions sponsored by the WIB (details are included later in this newsletter). Events for employers offer opportunities to hear from tech professionals, learn about trends in IT training and professional development, get information on hiring and retaining diverse technology employees and more.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted our society’s reliance on technology and its power to help businesses innovate and respond to rapid market shifts. It has also exposed the significant disparities for students studying in computer fields.

Click the link below to read the full report, created in partnership with RealTime Talent. The report seeks to broaden our understanding of the threats and opportunities of Ramsey County’s tech talent pipeline.   

The state of employment across the United States has been changed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The resultant trend toward remote work has heightened the transition away from physical interactions and proximity to jobs reliant on Information Technology (IT).

Ramsey County Workforce Solutions has the resources to help individuals seeking to make the transition into the IT sector. One resident, Andy Jarvinen, found those resources to be most helpful recently, as he made the career move from retail management to IT. 

Koami Pedado

President/CEO, ElieSys Computer Services

Executive Director, Network Training Institute

Tell us about your background?

Growing up in Togo, West Africa; my mother believed heavily in education. When I came to America, I already had a Master of Science in Economics. However, I still needed to go to school to receive the same accolades here. When I registered for school I decided to study computer network engineering and obtained my Bachelor of Science in computer science from St. Mary’s University. I also attended Inver Hills Community College and obtained two certifications to become a Cisco certified instructor.  I saw that computers were going to be the future and decided to create a business. I opened ElieSys Computer Services, an IT consulting business, and then Network Training Institute (NTI), a non-profit computer school. Both businesses are designed to work alongside with an employment agency. This creates our Diamond Business Model, a system of training individuals, providing internships, contractual jobs (if available), and job placement in one place so our students can be supported at their every need to be successful.

Article contributed by De'Vonna Pittman, Director of Inclusive Growth, Center for Economic Inclusion

Ramsey County and the Center for Economic Inclusion are partnering to increase economic growth and competitiveness by placing racial equity and inclusion at the center. The first-ever Economic Competitiveness and Inclusion Plan in the state of Minnesota was presented to the Ramsey County Board in March which includes eight strategies to inform Ramsey County investments, policies, and strategies over the next six to 10 years.

The ECI Plan, developed over 18 months in partnership with local governments and organizations, includes critical input from Ramsey County residents, employers, and business owners. It will accelerate county growth, prosperity, and racial wealth equity by centering Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and Asian people in housing, business and workforce development, land use planning, and investments while simultaneously accelerating economic growth and competitiveness in Ramsey County.