Serving our Veterans
As Minnesotans prepare to mark Veterans Day on November 11, this month's Local Look blogs from DEED's Labor Market Information office focuses on the prevalence and services available to veterans in every regional economy. DEED, through CareerForce Veterans Employment Services, offers career exploration, assistance transferring military skills to civilian jobs, resume writing and other specialized employment services. Find out more at CareerForceMN.com/Veterans.
Data from the Current Population Survey reveals that the unemployment rate for veterans was higher in Minnesota during 2020 (8.5%) than it was at the national level (6.5%). The data also reveals that the unemployment rate for veterans in Minnesota was higher than it was for nonveterans (5.6%) in the state.
As more and more veterans of World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and other conflicts have reached retirement age over the past couple decades, the share of the Central Minnesota labor force made up of current or former members of the U.S. military has generally declined. But veterans remain an excellent source of highly-skilled, highly-committed workers for employers who need to fill open jobs.
Veterans are important contributors to Minnesota's local economies and communities, and a larger than average share calls Northeast Minnesota home. In 2020, there were an estimated 26,973 veterans living in Northeast Minnesota, accounting for 8.3% of the population, according to the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA). In fact, 10% of Aitkin County and 9% of both Lake and Itasca County residents were veterans, which were among the highest percentages in the state. Every county in Northeast Minnesota had shares above the state average.
According to the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA), there are just under 42,000 veterans in the 26-county Northwest Minnesota region, or 13% of veterans in the state. This means the region has a higher concentration of veterans, since the region has only 10% of the total population. The majority of veterans in the region and the state are 65 years and older, serving during past conflicts, with the largest number serving during Vietnam. With many already at retirement age, data shows that 12,185 veterans in the region are between the ages of 18 and 64 and actively participating in the labor force.
What about those veterans who are unemployed or who have a job but are looking to move on to something better? One issue they may face is how to capitalize on their military skills to help them find that new job. This may not always be the easiest thing to do, but it seems logical that the first step in this process would be to simply identify which skills were learned and/or strengthened during military service.
With a return to low unemployment rates across the region in the fall of 2021, Southwest Minnesota's economy is recovering quickly from the pandemic recession. However, many employers are reporting significant difficulties finding workers. Workers of all demographic characteristics have lots of opportunities in many different fields but may also have different barriers to labor force attachment. Employers in Southwest Minnesota can tap into the nearly 8,000 veterans in the labor force between the ages of 18 and 64.
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