In the News

Takoda Bolsters Minority IT Workers
Minneapolis Star Tribune-4/3/16
Jaquan Sloan was at the DEED WorkForce Center on Lake Street when he saw a flier for a nine-month training program for computer support careers at the Takoda Institute of the American Indian OIC. He enrolled in the program and soon after graduation landed a job at Dell Compellent in Eden Prairie. Sloan, who is black, is one success story in the effort to close a troubling opportunity gap between people of color and whites.

Veterans Prep for Northland Job Fair
WDIO-TV-3/29/16
Duluth-area veterans got a boost to their skills ahead of Tuesday's annual Northland Job Fair. About eight veterans who have served around the globe gathered for a workshop put on by the Duluth Workforce Center last week. The vets had a chance to sharpen their job search skills, improve their resumes and cover letters, and get tips for interacting with potential employers before, during and after a job fair.  

DEED Awards Job Training Grant
Echo Press-4/1/16
Alexandria Technical and Community College and FAST Global Solutions Inc. received a $254,094 grant from DEED's Minnesota Job Skills Partnership. Together, they will develop training for 405 employees at FAST.

Did You Know?

NerdWallet recently rated Minnesota as the fifth-best state in the country for business, behind Utah, Massachusetts, Colorado and Washington. The online consumer site cited Minnesota's lower-than-average cost of living and salaries and the state's top-notch infrastructure. 

Recent Press Releases

Wagner SprayTech Plans Otsego Facility
Plymouth-based Wagner SprayTech announced plans last week to build a $15 million distribution facility in Otsego. The company, which specializes in manufacturing and marketing paint sprayers, applicators and decorating products for the consumer and contractor markets, said it will build the 270,000-square-foot facility in the Gateway North Business Center, near Highway 101. DEED is supporting the project with a $180,000 grant from the Job Creation Fund.

Upcoming Events

Commissioner Sieben will be the keynote speaker at the Duluth Local Initiatives Support Corporation annual luncheon on Wednesday, April 13. More details are here.

Recent Blog Posts

DEED received a four-year, $6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to study innovative ways to deliver  employment and training programs. Read about it here.

Serving Our Clients

The Seventh Annual Northland Job Fair on Tuesday will feature employers from northern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin. Job seekers can visit one-on-one with resume and job search experts, learn about education opportunities, network with employers and possibly interview for positions on site. The event will be held at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center. Go here for a list of participating employers and other details.