Recent Press Releases
Graco, manufacturer of fluid handling equipment for industrial and commercial applications, plans to create 84 jobs and invest $73 million to expand its operations in Rogers at the David A. Koch Center. DEED is supporting the expansion with a $700,000 loan from the Minnesota Investment Fund and an $800,000 grant from the Job Creation Fund. Graco said the project will add 480,000-square-feet to the existing 316,000-square-foot manufacturing, office and product development facility.
Minnesota’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held at 2.8 percent in October, according to data released today by DEED. The number of unemployed Minnesotans now at 86,118 which is the lowest since the last recession. In October, the Minnesota labor market gained a 3,400 jobs when seasonally adjusted and the previously announced loss of 1,400 jobs in September was revised to a 500 job gain.
DEED in the News
Minnesota employers, contending with an ultra-tight labor market, have added jobs at a slower rate this year than last. But new data Thursday showed they are still finding some people to hire. Minnesota added 3,400 jobs to its workforce of nearly 3 million people last month, the state jobs agency said. And the unemployment rate in October held at 2.8 percent — a level it reached in September for the first time since May 1999.
A shrinking workforce is making some jobs harder to fill. Now there is a call to hire more former criminals to fill those positions. South Central College held a conference this morning, discussing the benefits of hiring ex-cons for jobs in high-demand industries like construction, manufacturing and agriculture. The speakers at the conference hope to break down the stigma that former criminals will make bad employees.
Recent Blog Post
When it comes to what young people in Greater Minnesota think about their communities and local economic opportunities, perceptions matter. Many Greater Minnesota students say they would prefer to remain in their hometowns post-graduation, if they can find a ‘good paying job,’ but perceptions about employment opportunities sometimes get in the way. The challenge for rural communities and business is educating students and parents about the real opportunities that exist locally. Learn more about how cities are tapping into their homegrown talent at the DEED Developments blog.
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