Workforce Innovation Board Newsletter - October 2021

Ramsey County, Minnesota sent this bulletin at 10/07/2021 08:43 AM CDT

October 2021

October is Manufacturing Month across our state. The Workforce Innovation Board of Ramsey County recognizes the importance of this industry on our local economy and celebrates the cutting edge technology being implemented by the many manufacturing businesses that call Ramsey County home. Check out the industry information, stories and news features showcasing this incredible workforce and the businesses that employ and train them to create the products we all use in our daily lives. We appreciate your partnership and continued interest in the efforts of the WIB.

It's Manufacturing Month in Minnesota!

Governor Walz has proclaimed October as Manufacturing Month in Minnesota because of the importance of this critical industry and the need to highlight the many career opportunities in this in-demand field. The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) and manufacturing industry associations are hosting virtual and in-person events to mark the month.

Fabricating Manufacturing Careers at Century College

Offer the term “manufacturing” to a job seeker and their perception may be one of a dark, dirty work environment and a monotonous experience. But the reality is today’s manufacturing careers are exciting and dependent on high technology equipment. Additionally, manufacturers cannot find enough people to do these jobs.

“Today’s manufacturing careers rely on new technology, making them a lot more flashy and interesting than the stereotypical manufacturing job,” said Randy Jasken, faculty member at Ramsey County’s Century College. “And local industry is asking for more people to fill their openings.”

Read the full story here

Workforce Solutions moves to 160 E. Kellogg Blvd.

On October 4, Workforce Solutions consolidated its staff offices at the Ramsey County Government Center East building located at 160 East Kellogg Boulevard.

All service delivery and staff and general contact information will remain the same. Workforce Solutions services are accessed by:

Calling the main Workforce Solutions phone number, 651-266-9890.
Visiting a Community Career Lab, in-person at the Ramsey County Government Center East building and the Ramsey County Library in Maplewood, or virtually.
Scheduling an appointment for CareerForce services at 540 Fairview Avenue North, Suite 103 in Saint Paul.

The WIB adds a Construction-Green Jobs Committee

The WIB recently added a new Construction-Green Jobs Committee to focus on uplifting the construction industry and the emergence of green career pathways in Ramsey County. Several members of this new committee were part of an existing group meeting around the Building Green Saint Paul initiative.

Formalizing that existing group under the WIB and including some additional WIB members on the committee provides an excellent opportunity to align the broader workforce system and WIB efforts around this industry. Don Mullin, Executive Secretary of the Saint Paul Building and Construction Trades Council, will serve as chair.

Learn more about this committee here.

Manufacturing industry reports for job seekers and employers featured

To help provide a better picture of Minnesota's workforce demand, Ramsey County Workforce Solutions has put together a series of monthly workforce updates. Data for these reports is provided by Gartner TalentNeuron with analysis support from RealTime Talent. Check out the October Manufacturing features for employers and job seekers.

Ramona Wilson, Supplier Diversity Manager at 3M

Tell us about your background. I have over 20 plus years of experience in the Diversity and Inclusion space in various roles. But supplier diversity has always been my passion.

Share about your role at 3M as a Supplier Diversity Manager. My role to is identify ways to integrate diverse businesses into 3M’s bidding process. I am able to give Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) businesses the opportunity to do business with 3M by being the advocate and liaison to the Sourcing Team.

Metro Area On-line Virtual Manufacturing Career Fair

Ramsey County along with other metro area workforce development areas, including the City of Minneapolis, Hennepin/Carver, Dakota/Scott, Washington, and Anoka Counties, are partnering together on regular metro area regional job fairs hosted on a new interactive virtual platform.

The next Metro Region On-Line Interactive Manufacturing Career Fair is Tuesday, October 12, 2-5 p.m. Details about the event and information about how to register are available at https://www.careerforcemn.com/metro.

RACIAL EQUITY DIVIDENDS ASSESSMENT: Forging Data-Informed Pathways to Racial Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging

By Samuel N. Ndely II, Associate Director of Strategic Partnerships, Center for Economic Inclusion

The global protests following the killing of George Floyd demonstrated the widespread awareness of racial inequity and the determination to do something about it. By the end of 2020, roughly one-third of the nation’s Fortune 1000 companies responded, committing $66 billion to racial-equity initiatives.

As companies donated billions, created new director-level positions focused on diversity and inclusion, and shared the good news about their commitment, many employers are still left with internal, deeply embedded systemic issues that result in inequity, exclusion, and harm to Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian employees and overall workforce.

What can companies do to address it? Begin with data. Data benchmarks what currently exists, which allows employers to better understand the impact that any decisions, policies, practices, and systems have on their workforce.

Read the full article