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 November 2024
Greetings workforce partners!
As we enter November, it’s clear that our workforce initiatives are moving us toward a stronger, more inclusive community. In this month's newsletter, we highlight a number of programs that help drive this progress, such as apprenticeships, SciTech’s internship support for small businesses and our Inclusive Employer Toolkit. From hands-on training and workforce resources to equity-centered employer resources, each program emphasizes our commitment to empowering Ramsey County’s diverse talent. I am proud to share these insights, opportunities and achievements with you.
Thank you for your dedication to building an equitable and prosperous workforce!
Elisa Rasmussen, WIB Chair.
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Apprenticeship Week is an opportunity for the apprenticeship community to tell their stories about registered apprenticeship and share with businesses, industry, labor, education, career-seekers, community-based organizations, students and workers the advantages of developing careers through adoption of the apprenticeship model.
Throughout the week, the MN Department of Labor and Industry will feature events, apprentices and more.
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The SciTech Internship Program is a FREE small business resource here to make hiring interns easier and more affordable!
Create a company profile and gain access to an exclusive candidate pool of pre-vetted college STEM talent, all of which are eager for hands-on opportunities at innovative companies like yours!
- They will recruit on your behalf, pre-vetting students and coaching them on how to apply.
- You make the hiring decision!
- Every hire reported reserves a grant that will reimburse you for 50% of what you pay your intern (up to $2,500 back per student hired).
- Eligible industries include IT/cybersecurity/AI, engineering, life sciences, medical devices, manufacturing, construction/civil engineering, renewable energies and more!
Watch the program trailer to hear from employers currently benefitting from the program.
Learn more.
In partnership with the St. Paul Area Chamber, Workforce Solutions and members of the WIB joined over 100 businesses at the RiverCentre for the third annual Career Connect Day. This opportunity provided more than 2,000 local high school students the chance to learn and explore future career paths and connect with local businesses.
On top of providing resources around job search, career exploration and driver licenses, the WIB provided the transportation funding so that every high school in Ramsey County could participate.
Explore more pictures from Career Connect Day.
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Inclusive Employer Toolkit offers free resources to employers
Workforce Solutions and the WIB are leading efforts to support employers to address discrimination and unconscious bias within their organizations. One of these efforts is to provide an Inclusive Employer Toolkit. The toolkit aims to help employers provide a more welcoming and inclusive workplace for all by offering practices to build diversity, equity, and inclusion in the areas of employee recruitment, hiring, onboarding and retention.
“The Ramsey County Inclusive Employer Toolkit has been an invaluable resource in designing our employee hiring and retention strategy. By adopting many of the hiring strategies, we no longer struggle to find essential employees for our mission-critical positions. We are grateful for the toolkit and how it helped us to pivot our HR strategy,” said Donna Rapacz, Director of Business Operations at Merrick Inc.
New resources on the topics of skills based hiring and creative employee benefits packages were recently added to the Toolkit. You can view the Toolkit online or it can also be downloaded.
View the toolkit.
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Visit Ramsey County's Workforce Training Dashboard to learn more about how the county is connecting residents to the training programs needed to get people started or advancing in a career.
Providers of free or low cost workforce training programs can submit their program information for inclusion on the training dashboard through an easy to use self-submission form. The training dashboard includes more than 100 training programs in and near Ramsey County across a wide range of in-demand industry sectors.
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 In 2024, 11 businesses in Ramsey County are participating in the Inclusive Workplaces Cohort, a 9-month peer learning program to advance equity, diversity and inclusion in their organizations. One of the participating organizations will be spotlighted each month on social media and in the WIB newsletter. This month's featured organization is The Friends of the Saint Paul Library.
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Members of the WIB are key decision makers within their organizations and experts in the workforce arena appointed by either the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners or the city of Saint Paul mayor. This month, the board welcomed three new members who were appointed by the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners
Ismail Ali is the Director of Talent Initiatives at the Minnesota Technology Association (MnTech). In this role, he has had many opportunities to collaborate with the WIB and Full Stack Saint Paul. "Given MnTech's shared goals with the WIB, I am excited to join the board to strengthen these partnerships and support the WIB's mission."
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Ethel Garcia is the Director of Human Resources at Innovize. She was drawn to join the WIB due to its mission of driving innovation and collaboration. "I am eager to contribute to creating forward thinking solutions that address the needs of both job seekers and employers."
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As the interim Director of Financial Opportunity Programs at Community Action Partnership of Ramsey and Washington Counties, Fidelity Goodlaxson brings her passion for serving individuals and families most in need of a helping hand. "I believe that employment and education are two of the greatest weapons we have in the war against poverty."
Welcome Ismail, Ethel and Fidelity!
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Employer of the Day
Tuesdays, 3–5 p.m., at the Maplewood Library
Looking for a new job? Every Tuesday, employers will visit the Ramsey County Library in Maplewood to talk about job opportunities in their organization. Bring your resumé and your best first impression to get hired.
Featured employers:
If your business is interested in being an Employer of the Day, please contact employerservices@ramseycounty.us.
Trainer of the Day
Thursdays, 3–5 p.m., at the Maplewood Library
Meet community based, no-cost skill training programs that are recruiting participants for upcoming classes. Participating in a community based training program is a way to build an up- to-date skill set. When training is complete, get introduced to employers looking for certified trainees and start a new and rewarding career. Courses range from Automotive to IT to Healthcare and much more. See list of possible training courses here.
Featured trainers:
All are welcome!
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Employer of the Day
Thursdays, 10 a.m.–1 p.m. at CareerForce in Saint Paul
Take advantage of this opportunity to come in and speak face-to-face with a representative from local businesses about their open positions.
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 The evolving Native American workforce and Indigenous economy
Nov. 6, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
The Native American economy and workforce landscape in Minnesota is complicated, and the data we have to understand it are inaccurate. But, what we do know is that this demographic is growing fast, and could be the answer to workforce shortages across the state. Join DEED's Workforce Strategy team as we explore the reality of the Indigenous workforce and economy, discuss the challenges and rewards that come with recruiting from this demographic, and define what it means to be an employer of choice for Native people. Please join prepared to share your experiences and ideas, as well!
Presenters:
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Jim Croud - Employment Specialist, Minnesota Chippewa Tribe
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Martin Jennings - Executive Director, NW Indian Community Development Center
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Jacob McArthur - Associate Director, Veden Center for Rural Development
Register now.
 Minnesota Dual-Training Pipeline supports employers with creating or enhancing a competency based, earn-and-learn dual-training approach to meeting their workforce needs. With Pipeline, workers receive a combination of related instruction paired with on-the-job training.
Learn about Minnesota Dual-Training Pipeline, share input about key in-demand occupations in your industry, help our team develop new occupations that will become eligible for Pipeline programming and network and learn from others in your industry. Forums are conducted virtually with opportunities to listen, learn and actively engage.
- Nov. 7, 9 to 10 a.m., Advanced Manufacturing Industry Forum
- Nov. 7, 1 to 2 p.m., Child Care Industry Forum
- Nov. 8, 9 to 10 a.m., Legal Cannabis Industry Forum
- Nov. 12, 9 to 10 a.m., Agriculture Industry Forum
- Nov. 12, 1 to 2 p.m., Information Technology Industry Forum
- Nov. 13, 9 to 10 a.m., Health Care Services Industry Forum
- Nov. 13, 1 to 2 p.m., Transportation Services Industry Forum
 MN Skills-Based Hiring Accelerator Workshops
Nov 19, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., CareerForce in Minneapolis - North
The Twin Cities Metro Workforce Development Boards are establishing a new partnership with Goodwill Easter Seals, the Urban League, the Saint Paul Area Chamber and the Minneapolis Regional Chamber for the MN Skills-Based Hiring Accelerator program. Employers can participate in a half-day in-person workshop to receive in-depth learning on:
- Rebuilding an employer's hiring process with a skills and competency-based approach by focusing on candidates’ capabilities rather than credentials.
- Improving retention by rebuilding job descriptions, interview processes, onboarding and more.
- Increasing diversity among your workforce using data-driven tools that lead to more equitable hiring processes.
- Providing networking with talent-sourcing organizations.
Following participation in a workshop, employers have access to monthly Community of Practice calls where they can dive into questions about the skills-based hiring process and receive one-on-one coaching from facilitators.
Learn more about MN Skills-Based Hiring Accelerator.
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Trades Games Challenge
Nov. 21, 4-6:30 p.m., Pipefitters 455 Apprenticeship Training Center, 1301 L'Orient St, Saint Paul
In honor of National Apprenticeship Week, Women Building Success hosts Trades Games Challenge. Join in on the fun, food and friendly competition! A variety of prizes will be given away, including cash-prize drawings.
Anyone age 18 and up is welcome. Please register.
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The age of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not just a distant dream; it's a vibrant reality reshaping industries worldwide. AI is a game-changer in workforce development, revolutionizing recruitment and hiring processes and empowering organizations to efficiently attract, hire, and retain top talent.
Specifically, AI has a pivotal role in recruitment and hiring processes, as identified in the "Top 10 Trends to Watch in Ramsey County’s Workforce Landscape” by RealTime Talent. Harnessing AI’s capabilities will allow human resource departments and hiring managers to efficiently navigate a large pool of applicants, reducing hiring time and enhancing the quality of talent brought into an organization.
Automated Talent Sourcing: A Game-Changer
In today's competitive recruitment landscape, the abundance of applicants often makes it difficult for employers to identify the most suitable talent. AI-powered tools come to the rescue by streamlining talent sourcing, ensuring hiring managers connect with candidates whose skills and experiences align perfectly with job requirements.
Continue to the full article.
The Top 10 Trends to Watch in Ramsey County’s Workforce Landscape from RealTime Talent is a compass guiding Ramsey County through the complexities of a transforming workforce. The trends identified pave the way for a resilient, innovative, and inclusive future. Each trend will be explored in depth throughout 2024, charting the course for Ramsey County's workforce in the coming years.
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