Career Force MN provides a number of great resources for employers to support our young people. In the next few weeks, we will be highlighting what's available. Young people in Minnesota are very much engaged in the labor market! Seventy percent of Minnesota youth ages 16 to 24 in Minnesota are in the workforce. That’s 15% higher than the national average of 55%.
There are many reasons that you or other employers may want to hire young people. Youth are often energetic and enthusiastic about their work. Employers also know a promising young person could turn into a long-term dedicated employee. Plus, hiring young people can foster new creativity and shift perspectives among all generations. This can be a huge benefit for your workplace culture.
While employers may appreciate the flexibility, enthusiasm and willingness to learn that young people bring to the workplace, there are other factors employers should take into consideration with younger employees:
- Greater need for supervision and guidance
- Lack of life and work experience
- Higher turnover rates compared to other age groups
- Restrictions on the wages, hours and types of work employees under 18 can do
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Data Deep Dive
As this newsletter continues, we will be digging into data about our community’s young people (ages 14-24). Where are they working? Who is employing them? How much are they earning? We hope this information will help you be more observant of young people in your office or down the street.
- Ramsey County’s young people have been hit very hard by the pandemic closing of many restaurants, stores, entertainment venues etc.
- Many of the health service professionals who are serving our communities during this difficult time are young people. In Ramsey County 12% of jobs in the health care and social assistance sector are held by young people.
- Youth working in health and social assistance have an annual average earning of $11,748, only $8000 lower than the average earnings of all employees.
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Online Career Exploration Training
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Career Exploration Online
April 20, 2020 | 9am - noon
Register online!
April 27, 2020 | 9am - noon
Register online!
StrengthsFinder Online
April 21, 2020 | 9am - noon
Register online.
April 28, 2020 | 9am - noon
Register online.
Youth Works! Partner: Sundance Family Foundation
Featured Employer: Dream of Wild Health
The mission of Dream of Wild Health is to restore health and well-being in the Native American community by recovering knowledge of and access to healthy Indigenous foods, medicines and lifeways. In addition to a 10-acre farm located in Hugo, Minnesota, Dream of Wild Health offers a number of programs for youth ages (8-18) that teach them about growing and eating healthy, native culture, language and traditional crafts and games, including Cora’s Kids and Garden Warriors. Additionally, they provide a Youth Leaders program to encourage Native American youth to become leaders in the community around nutrition, health and food justice issues.
In 2019, with the support of the Sundance Family Foundation, Dream of Wild Health was able to hire our first Garden Warrior alumna, Faith Gronda, to the Dream of Wild Health team as a seed intern. Faith had participated in the Garden Warriors and Youth Leaders programs for several years before applying to be an employee helping teach the younger generations at the farm.
Her teaching and mentorship allowed youth in the Garden Warriors and Cora’s Kids programs to see a clear pathway for themselves as leaders at Dream of Wild Health that extended beyond their time in our summer programs. Additionally, Faith’s role on the Seed Team helped fill a crucial need of summer lessons around seed stewardship which was cited as an area for growth in previous end of session surveys.
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Have your own Youth Works! success story to share?
Submit your story here: Youth Works! Success Story
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This award will be given to Ramsey County employers who have dedicated their time, resources and care to support their community’s youth and young adults. These employers are nominated by Ramsey County youth and young adults who have directly benefited from the support provided by the employers. Ramsey County Youth Works! recognizes the important efforts of all who are nominated.
Want to nominate an employer?
Submit a Youth Employer of Choice Award.
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