This month's newsletter draws attention to the critical role the technology industry plays in our local and regional economy. Over 12,000 people are employed in tech careers in Ramsey County and that number is projected to grow in the coming years!  

The WIB's Tech Committee and several partners are sponsoring three tech focused events this month, including an in person event for youth. Read more about these events below.  Also, be sure to check out our Tech Month webpage to learn about other events and resources for employers and job seekers!

On behalf of the WIB, I want to thank you for your partnership and the many opportunities we have to work together to ensure that Ramsey County is a place where all residents and businesses can prosper.     

Information Technology (I.T.) jobs are in extremely high demand today. The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates employment of information security analysts will grow 33% from 2020 to 2030 and computer support specialists will grow by 9%, whereas the average for all occupations is about 4% in that timeframe.

Ramsey County has a diverse workforce population that has grown up surrounded by technology more than any other generation. St. Paul’s Metropolitan State University (Metro State) has historically been known as an excellent resource for I.T. companies to find qualified employees. A collaborative effort between several Ramsey County organizations and Metro State has resulted in a unique program designed to ensure those opportunities exist for community members who are in the greatest need of finding better-paying employment.

“There is tremendous demand in the marketplace for young, diverse jobseekers oriented toward technology,” said Jodi Bantley, Metro State Associate Director for Civic and Community Partnerships in the Institute for Community Engagement and Scholarship. “That demand does not need to be filled by individuals only with a four-year degree, so we are focused on opportunities that build a ladder to higher-wage employment for our community members and students.”

Click here to read the full article. 

For the past four years, Full Stack Saint Paul has been working to launch innovative people, places, and businesses in the City of Saint Paul. This public-private collaboration leverages the power of tech and innovation to advance equitable, resilient economic development in Saint Paul.

One of the group’s core goals is to launch the next generation of tech talent and create equitable access to tech careers. With that in mind, Full Stack has partnered with Ramsey County to provide tech training scholarships through MSP Tech Hire in order to advance tech careers for people of color, women, and community members historically left out of the thriving tech economy.

The latest training opportunity, UX Academy, is a unique collaboration between MSP Tech Hire, Right Track, Step Up, and Prime Digital Academy. It’s designed as an immersive 12-week learning and portfolio-building experience for under-resourced young adults aged 18-24. Business leaders, contact the Full Stack team if you’d like to host a summer intern from the current cohort of the UX Academy.

Learn more by subscribing to the monthly News Stack email or visiting the Full Stack Saint Paul website.

Tony Lusiba

Director of Information Technology, Wilder Foundation

Where do you see the most opportunities for residents who may have interest in a career in Tech?

Minnesota is home to 18 Fortune 500 companies and some of them are based right here in Ramsey County. There are opportunities at these companies along with other Ramsey County businesses who have made a commitment to ensure that their workforce is representative of the populations they support or want to support.

Another opportunity for residents who may have interest in a career in Tech is to reach out to one of the leaders of Full Stack Saint Paul which is a public-private collaboration leveraging the power of tech and innovation to drive equitable, resilient economic development in Saint Paul. Full Stack tells the story of our innovative people and places, connects business leaders to a growing network of resources, launches the next generation of tech talent, supports the places and events where innovators connect, and provides talent pathways to careers and access to ensure long-term success.

Read more about Tony here. 

Tech Talk: Game Toward Your Future - April 12, 6-7:30 p.m.

This in person event for youth features a panel of industry experts who will share how Gaming/AR/VR can be a pathway to employment in the tech industry. There will be demos, opportunities for first hand VR experiences, raffles, and giveaways. Dinner is provided and all youth attendees will receive a $25 Target Gift Card. Come for the information... stay for the fun!  

Rondo Community Library, 461 Dale Street N., Saint Paul. Registration is required and space is limited to 40 attendees. Sponsored by the WIB's Tech Committee and the Saint Paul Public Library. 

Register here.

Virtual Lunch and Learn - April 13, 12-12:45 p.m.

Join Ramsey County's One-Stop partners on Wednesday, March 9, from noon to 12:45 p.m. for a virtual Lunch and Learn event to get information about partner program services and build your referral network. This month's featured partner programs include:

• Presenter: John O'Phelan, Workforce Solutions - Trades Industry Career Pathways
• Presenter: Luis Brown-Pena, DEED - Heavy Highway Construction Training Program (MnDOT/DEED), New Leaf Workshop

Ramsey County One-Stop partners are committed to increasing knowledge of available programs and services, and increasing partner referrals. This event is ideal for service delivery staff and supervisors in workforce, education and community services. 

Join the event!  No registration is required. 

Virtual Job Club - April 18, 1p.m.

Career seekers interested in training for, starting or continuing a career in Information Technology are invited to this month's Job Club featuring Christy Larson from Prime Digital Academy. Learn about:

• Prime Digital Academy and how they help build skills for a new IT Career
• IT jobs in demand in the Twin Cities
• Local companies hiring for IT jobs
• Experience needed for entry level IT jobs
• The future for IT jobs in the next 5 years
• What makes a good IT candidate

Link to join the event via Zoom. 

Tech Talk: Future Tech Entrepreneurs and Community Wealth Building - April 28, 12:30-1:15 p.m. 

Join the Ramsey County Workforce Innovation Board and Full Stack Saint Paul to hear from community leaders aimed at bringing resources to grow tech entrepreneurs with a focus toward BIPOC wealth building. This free webinar is aimed to provide information for employers and entrepreneurs but is open to all.

Registration is required. Register here.

Important Components for Attracting Racially Diverse Applicants in Job Openings

By Suzanne Kelly, Chief of Staff, Center for Economic Inclusion

To build an economy that works for everyone, both public- and private-sector employers must consistently reexamine recruitment and hiring policies and practices that often result in excluding women, people of color, individuals with disabilities, and others who have experienced challenges in their work history.

Research from a 2021 Harvard Business School and Accenture study described such individuals as “hidden workers,” which they defined as “millions of people who are eager to work and possess — or could develop — the skills employers seek” if employers were intentional about identifying and eliminating impediments to their recruitment and hiring.

The report identified those who often comprise the category of hidden workers as individuals with:

• Health issues: physical, mental, or developmental/neurodiversity challenges, a history of substance abuse
• Gaps in employment histories: long-term unemployed or previously incarcerated
• Family care responsibilities: caretakers of children or adults/older people
• Few formal qualifications: no school qualifications or below a degree-level education
• Required relocation: veterans, immigrants and those moving locations
• Disadvantaged backgrounds: raised in a care home or had unemployed parents/caregivers (Accenture, 2021, p. 5)

Research shows that Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and recent immigrant populations, are disproportionately represented in many of these categories. Coupled with the unconscious bias that creeps into hiring and recruitment, the economic loss for individuals, families, and society is high.

Read the full article here.