Although summer is a popular time for vacations, there is a lot happening with the Workforce Innovation Board and in our community. This month's newsletter features exciting learning opportunities available to young people over the summer, highlights initiatives to advance equity and showcases several upcoming events, including a big outdoor job fair at Allianz Field on August 17! 

I am truly grateful for the tremendous partnerships with the local business community and our community partners. Your efforts make Ramsey County a great place to live and work. Enjoy the rest of your summer and I hope to see you at one of the upcoming events!      

It may be summer but for many local students, time off from the traditional classroom allows for different kinds of learning opportunities. Many students are taking advantage of the summer education and training programs offered by area high schools.

Students at White Bear Lake Area High School (WBLAHS) have been busy participating in paid internships at several of the district's employer partner businesses. From automotive to engineering to the construction trades, these internships are providing invaluable hands on learning with some even leading to post-graduation careers. A group of WBLAHS students also attended a Scrubs Camp at Saint Paul College to learn about the wide range of career opportunities in the medical field. 

3M STEP, a collaboration between 3M and Saint Paul Public Schools, allows high school juniors and seniors to participate in the process of scientific discovery during the school year and then complete a 12-week summer experience in a 3M laboratory. 3M STEP students learn, increase job skills, gain insight into scientific careers, and enhance their personal development.  

Learning opportunities never stop for young people in our community.  Our local high schools and the business community are doing a great job of preparing them for the future.

Providers of free or low cost workforce training programs can now submit their program information for inclusion on Ramsey County's workforce training dashboard through a new and easy to use self submission form. The training dashboard includes over 80 training programs in and near Ramsey County across a wide range of in-demand industry sectors.  

Visit the Workforce Training Dashboard to learn more about how Ramsey County is connecting residents to the training programs needed to get people started or advancing in a career.

Welcome to new WIB member John Perlich!

The Ramsey County Board of Commissioners recently appointed John Perlich to the WIB. John serves as the Saint Paul Area Chamber's Director of Public Affairs, advocating for member businesses and organizations. John brings a wealth of public, private, and nonprofit sector experience to the Chamber, including stints at the Steve Rummler HOPE Network, Ainsley Shea Communications, and various capacities with the Wisconsin GOP, the Wisconsin State Senate, and the Committee to Reelect a Republican Senate. John has a BA in History and Political Science.  

In his spare time, you can find John extolling the virtues of his adoptive city (St. Paul) and home state (Wisconsin), on the Board of the Domestic Policy Caucus, enjoying the great outdoors during pheasant season, and reading multiple books. John and his dachshund, Winston, reside in the Highwood Hills area of St. Paul.

Members of the WIB are key decision makers within their organizations and experts in the workforce arena appointed by either the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners or the Saint Paul City Council. John is a great addition to the board! His skills and experience will be beneficial in advancing the WIB's mission and goals.

Connectivity Blueprint Community Partner Update

Ramsey County and the City of Saint Paul have been partnering on an exciting Connectivity Blueprint project. This initiative aims to create a community-guided roadmap to digital equity. Come join us for a community partner update to learn more about the project, how you can join us in this work, and digital equity resources.

August 10, 10-10:45 a.m. via Zoom.

Register in advance for this webinar here.

Lunch & Learn Wednesday, August 10 from 12 – 12:45pm

Are you hungry to connect? Join Ramsey County's One-Stop partners on Wednesday, August 10, from noon to 12:45 p.m. for a virtual Lunch and Learn event to get information about partner program services and build your referral network. This month's featured partners include:

• Lutheran Social Services - Financial Programs and Employment Services
• One Stop Consortium - Upcoming Community Conversation and Resource Fair

Ramsey County One-Stop partners are committed to increasing knowledge of available programs and services, and increasing partner referrals. This event is ideal for service delivery staff and supervisors in workforce, education and community services. 

Join the event!  No registration is required. 

Fair Opportunities Speaker Event: We Are All Criminals, August 18, 3-4:30 p.m.

Join us for a riveting presentation and conversation on supporting Fair Opportunities from Emily Baxter of We Are All Criminals. The event is targeted to Ramsey County employers and other partners supporting Inclusive Workplaces.

We Are All Criminals is a catalyst for conversations about crime, privilege, punishment, and second chances. One in four people in the US has a criminal record; four in four have a criminal history. Through stories, statutes, and statistics, and policy implications we’ll examine the disparate impact of the criminal and juvenile justice systems on Black people, Indigenous people, people of color, and people experiencing poverty across the country. Using first-person narratives and compelling photography, we’ll look at how each of us is more than our mistakes.

Thursday, August 18, 3-4:30 p.m., Ramsey County Plato Building - 1st Floor Conference Center, 90 W. Plato Blvd., Saint Paul

This event is sponsored by Ramsey County and the Workforce Innovation Board of Ramsey County.  Advanced registration is requested.  Click here to register.