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 January 2025
Happy New Year, Workforce Partners!
As we step into 2025, I am filled with optimism about the opportunities ahead for workforce development in Ramsey County. I'm thrilled to start the year by welcoming Catrice O’Neal as our new WIB Executive Director and Workforce Solutions Director. Catrice brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to innovation and equity, making her an incredible asset to the WIB and the county.
This edition of the newsletter reflects the exciting momentum we’re building together—from the 2nd Annual Inclusive Workforce Summit to the upcoming relocation of the Saint Paul CareerForce location and the refreshed Ramsey County Means Business website. These are just a few of the events and initiatives that represent the innovative and inclusive spirit that drives our shared mission and progress for the year ahead.
Together, let’s make 2025 a year of collaboration, growth and meaningful impact!
Elisa Rasmussen, WIB Chair
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 The CareerForce location at 540 Fairview Avenue N. will close at 4:30 p.m. on January 9, 2025. The new location will open in February 2025. More exciting details are coming soon on the new location!
You can still get help with your job search during the move!
For assistance while the physical location is closed, please call 651-539-4100 or email CareerForce.SaintPaul@state.mn.us.
You can also access services at these community career labs:
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Saint Paul – Downtown, 121 7th Place E, Suite 2500. (Career Services available: Mondays & Wednesdays 10 a.m.-4 p.m.).
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Maplewood – Service Center, 2001 White Bear Avenue N, Suite 1034 (Career Services available: Tuesdays & Thursdays 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.).
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Roseville – Ramsey County Library, 2180 Hamline Avenue N. (Career Services available: Tuesdays & Thursdays 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.)
Visit the CareerForce in Saint Paul webpage for more information.
 Join us for the second Inclusive Workforce Summit on January 29 at the Science Museum of MN. This half day event will help businesses learn about, connect to, and access workforce tools and resources. Find new talent pipelines and discover tools for implementing innovative and effective hiring practices to increase inclusiveness in your organization.
Choose from a variety of breakout sessions, led by workforce experts, on topics such as skills-based hiring, accommodating employees with disabilities and more. A complimentary lunch and parking voucher are included. This event is free and open to local businesses seeking solutions for meeting workforce needs.
Learn more and register.
The St. Paul Area Chamber, Minneapolis Regional Chamber and Ramsey County are excited to launch Twin Cities Talent Hub. Twin Cities Talent Hub brings together employers, schools, and community organizations to help people get the education and skills they need for good jobs. The website shares programs, resources, and partnerships that connect workers with opportunities, while helping businesses find the talent they need. It focuses on creating fair chances for everyone and supporting the region’s economy through teamwork and events.
Visit Twin Cities Talent Hub to learn more.
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The Ramsey County Means Business website recently underwent an exciting refresh, enhancing its functionality and resources to better support the region’s workforce and businesses. The updated site now offers an improved user experience with streamlined navigation, making it easier than ever to access critical tools and information. Whether you’re a job seeker exploring new opportunities, an employer looking for talent, or an organization focused on workforce development, the refreshed site provides resources designed to meet your needs.
Highlights include a free job board - Job Connect, a listing of workforce training programs, and a directory of local community organizations offering workforce services that drive inclusive economic growth. The refresh highlights Ramsey County’s commitment to fostering a thriving, equitable economy by ensuring that businesses and residents have the support and information they need to succeed.
Visit Ramsey County Means Business today to explore the new features and discover how it can help you achieve your goals.
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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Recently, DEED released employment projections for the state of Minnesota and its six planning regions. This data is compiled by both occupation and industry, and can be utilized by educational institutions, businesses, employment counselors, career seekers and more to make informed planning decisions. According to this data, employment in the Seven-County Metro Area is projected to grow by 4.9% between 2022 and 2032. This is equivalent to approximately 95,000 net new jobs in the region during that period. Slightly outpacing the statewide growth rate of 4.6%, the Metro Area is anticipated to account for nearly two-thirds (65.6%) of Minnesota's net new jobs over the next decade.
Leading the charge for new employment growth is Health Care & Social Assistance. Between 2022 and 2032, this major industry is anticipated to gain over 25,300 net new jobs, growing by 9.2%. Zooming in, net new growth in this industry will be led by Social Assistance (+11,600 jobs; +15.4%) and Ambulatory Health Care Services (+8,900 jobs; +9.9%). Employment in Hospitals (+3,500 jobs; +5.8%) is anticipated to grow just above the growth rate for the total of all industries, while employment in Nursing & Residential Care Facilities (+1,300 jobs; +2.7%) will be slightly slower.
Read the full article by Tim O'Neill, DEED Regional Analyst.
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Welcome to Catrice O'Neal, WIB executive director and Workforce Solutions director.
O’Neal joins the county from the city of Brooklyn Park, where she has served as the Workforce Development program director since 2021. While in this role, she spearheaded transformative workforce development initiatives, including launching a Workforce Development division for Brooklyn Park and Brooklyn Center, increasing revenue from $300,000 to over $1 million, and securing a $500,000 legislative appropriation in 2024. Prior to this role, O’Neal served as a program manager for BrookLynk, a youth workforce development program at Brooklyn Park. Before joining the city, she served as the director of Out-of-School-Time Programs for the Plymouth Christian Youth Center, and she currently serves as an adjunct professor at the University of St. Thomas.
“We are excited to welcome Catrice O’Neal to Ramsey County,” said Deputy County Manager of Economic Growth and Community Investment Kari Collins. “Her proven leadership in workforce development, commitment to equity, and ability to drive innovative solutions will be invaluable as we continue to expand opportunities to create meaningful outcomes for our residents, businesses and communities.”
O’Neal will start at the county on Jan. 6, 2025.
Learn more about Catrice.
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Employer of the Day Tuesdays, 3–5 p.m., at the Roseville 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 Roseville 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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 Meet DEED's business development team: the key to business expansion and growth Jan. 8, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Join DEED's Workforce Strategy Consultant team for a discussion featuring the talented team from Minnesota DEED’s Business Development division. This group is dedicated to fostering economic growth and supporting businesses across our state. Please join prepared to share your experiences and ideas, as well!
Presenters:
- Lisa Hughes - Economic Development Program Specialist, DEED
- Natalie Siderius - Economic Development Program Specialist - SE Region, DEED
- Colleen Eddy - Business Development Manager, DEED
- Chet Bodin - Business Development Manager, DEED
Register today.
 MN Skills-Based Hiring Accelerator Workshops Jan. 28, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., CareerForce in Chaska, 602 E. 4th St, Chaska Feb. 28, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Securian Financial, 400 N. Robert St, Saint Paul
The Twin Cities Metro Workforce Development Boards are establishing a new partnership with Goodwill Easter-Seals, the Saint Paul Area Chamber, the Minneapolis Regional Chamber and Twin Cities SHRM 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 optional one-on-one coaching from facilitators.
Visit www.mnskillsbased.com to sign up & learn more!
 Top Workforce Trends in Ramsey County in 2025 Feb. 19, noon.-1 p.m. via Zoom
Join us as RealTime Talent’s Senior Director of Strategic Research, Erin Olson, speaks about the top ten workforce trends to watch in Ramsey County for 2025 and beyond.
Recent years have brought seismic shifts in the world of work, driven forward by ongoing economic and political uncertainties, dramatic talent shortages, workforce misalignments, and rapidly evolving technology. These dynamics make forecasting future labor market needs and supply uniquely challenging. But despite the turbulence, several pivotal shifts have begun to materialize, illuminating the path ahead in inclusive workplaces, skills-based hiring, and the digital workplace.
Register today.
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Throughout 2024, Ramsey County focused on helping residents, businesses, and organizations navigate the complexities of a transforming workforce. The year kicked off with a webinar called Top 10 Trends to Watch in Ramsey County’s Workforce Landscape, led by Erin Olson, Senior Director of Strategic Research at RealTime Talent and hosted by Ramsey County Workforce Solutions, featuring a comprehensive report on the top ten trends shaping the county's workforce.
The identified trends served as a compass toward a stronger, more innovative, and inclusive future. Below is a recap of the highlighted trends , which showcase efforts to build toward a local workforce that is ready for the future.
People Are Our Best Asset: Ramsey County's greatest strength is its diversity. With the second-highest Diversity Index in Minnesota, at 61.4%, the county's wide variety of cultural backgrounds fosters innovation and creativity in the workforce. Olson emphasized that diversity is a competitive advantage, urging businesses to leverage this dynamic talent pool for sustained growth. Ramsey County has set a benchmark for inclusion by nurturing talent early and celebrating cultural contributions.
Continue to the full article.
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