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September 2023
Greeting partners!
It's an absolute honor to serve as Chair of the Workforce Innovation Board (WIB) of Ramsey County. In this new role, I can see firsthand the critical role the public workforce system plays in ensuring all Ramsey County residents have access to meaningful employment and local employers have the talent they need to grow and thrive.
Yesterday, I was fortunate to stand alongside some of our state and local workforce partners and several Ramsey County Workforce Solutions staff as the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners proclaimed September as Workforce Development Month in Ramsey County. I join the county board in extending my thanks to members of the WIB and all of the highly-skilled workforce development professionals who serve all Ramsey County job seekers and the business community with dedication and passion.
I hope you will take a few minutes to read this month's newsletter. It includes several news items and event details as well as the latest article in our Fair Opportunities employment series. Thank you for your partnership and the valuable part you play in the local workforce ecosystem!
- Elisa Rasmussen, WIB Chair
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 Commissioner Ortega joined members of the WIB, Workforce Solutions staff and workforce partners in celebrating Workforce Development Month during the September 5 County Board Meeting.
The Sundance Family Foundation has been providing resources and support to youth employment organizations and programs for 20 years. With a mission to “accelerate youth development and strengthen family stability”, the foundation has been a champion for youth in Ramsey County. The foundation has partnered with Ramsey County for many years, including as a private grant funder for the first cohort of the Young Adult Career Academy program, which has continued successfully for three years.
In August, the Foundation celebrated its anniversary and announced it will be shutting down operations by the end of the year. They gifted Workforce Solutions $50,000 as a sign of support and to continue the Youth Works! efforts around the Learn & Earn programs, building alignments and intentionality to ensure practitioners have access to resources and employers, building additional networks of employers to support young people and leveraging tools developed by the foundation to amplify best practices for youth employment services.
 Commissioner Rena Moran and Workforce Solutions Director Ling Becker accepted a generous donation from the Sundance Family Foundation.
Ramsey County launches Get S.E.T - Successful Employer Training
Ramsey County is partnering with World Youth Connect, a local youth-led organization, to help bridge generational and cultural gaps between Ramsey County employers and the region’s young workforce. As Minnesota’s most diverse county, Ramsey County is excited to support employers to be more inclusive youth and young adult friendly workplaces. This opportunity is offered every third Friday, 11 a.m.-noon and is complimentary for any Ramey County employer.
The Successful Employer Training (S.E.T.) is an opportunity for both new and existing youth supervisors and employers to learn essential youth and young adult onboarding, retention, and communication skills and strategies to ensure a positive work environment for all. Ensure your supervisors are well-prepared to adapt and succeed alongside the next generation of workers!
Register.
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This year, 12 businesses in Ramsey County are participating in the Inclusive Workplaces Cohort, a 9-month peer learning program to advance equity, diversity and inclusion in their organizations. One of the participating organizations will be spotlighted each month on social media and in the WIB newsletter. This month's featured organization is Concordia University, Saint Paul. |
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 Workforce Wednesday: Leveraging second chancers for a better workforce
September 6
11 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Join the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development Workforce Strategy Consultant team for an engaging discussion to learn about how to recruit and retain a second chance workforce. We will discuss both the obstacles and opportunities that comes from this underemployed and marginalized population. Hear a panel of employers and subject matter experts discuss available tools, programs, and partnerships that will help your organization reach our Second Chance community members. Please join prepared to share your experiences and ideas!
To register.
Selby JazzFest - Fair Opportunities Employment Event
September 9
11 a.m.–7:30 p.m.
Ramsey County and several community partners will be at the Selby JazzFest to promote fair opportunities hiring for individuals who desire to go to work after being involved in the criminal justice system. Representatives from Art from the Inside, Ujamaa Place, Strive Staffing, Ramsey County, Repowered, We Resolve, Twin Cities R!se and others will be available to share resources with job seekers and the community.
Learn more.
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Employer of the Day
Tuesdays, 3–5 p.m., at the Roseville Library
Thursdays, 11 a.m.–1 p.m., at the Maplewood Service Center
Looking for a new job? Every Tuesday and Thursday, employers will visit the Ramsey County Library in Roseville and Maplewood Service Center and to talk about job opportunities in their organization. Bring your resumé and your best first impression to get hired.
Featured employers:
If your business is interested in being an Employer of the Day, please contact employerservices@ramseycounty.us.
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Trainer of the Day
Tuesdays, 11 a.m–5 p.m., at the Roseville Library
Meet community based, no-cost skill training programs that are recruiting participants for upcoming classes. Participating in a community based training program is a way to build an up- to-date skill set. When training is complete, get introduced to employers looking for certified trainees and start a new and rewarding career. Courses range from Automotive to IT to Healthcare and much more. See list of possible training courses here.
Featured trainers:
- Goodwill Easter Seals MN - September 7
- MnDOT-DEED Construction Training - September 14
- Hired - September 21
- TRIO-Education Opportunity Center - September 28
All are welcome.
Back to School - Back to Work Job Fair
Sept. 13
2–5 p.m.
All are welcome to attend an in-person job fair at CareerForce in Saint Paul. Bring your resume and your best first impression! Visit with local employers that have current job openings and are ready to hire. Information on workforce and community resources will also be available.
Learn more
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Twin Cities Startup Week
Sept. 15-21
Events in Saint Paul and Minneapolis.
Twin Cities Startup Week is one of the largest annual startup-innovation festivals in the nation. This seven-day festival intends to build relationships and drive collaboration within Minnesota's growing startup ecosystem. Partnerships between government, corporations, foundations, entrepreneurial support organizations, and creatives provide spaces for the startup community to connect and accelerate the support of Minnesota's startup founders - at any stage of growth.
Register today to celebrate innovation in Minnesota's growing startup ecosystem.
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 Are you interested in helping people prepare for work and become employed? Attend this job fair and learn about careers in Workforce Development and the range of careers that help individuals achieve their potential.
Nonprofit agencies are looking to fill a variety of positions including accounting, administrative, career coaching, IT, maintenance, training and more. Career Navigators will be available to review your resume, practice interview questions and provide guidance during the event.
This job fair is being hosted by Ramsey County, the City of Minneapolis and Goodwill Easter Seals MN.
Learn more about this event.
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  Department of Corrections: A bridge to employment opportunities
Recidivism is the tendency of a formerly incarcerated individual to engage in criminal behavior again, resulting in reincarceration. While the reasons are numerous, meaningful employment is highly correlated with low recidivism rates.
Despite a significant understanding of the role gainful employment can provide universally and in Minnesota, justice-impacted individuals face many barriers to securing employment and adapting to life outside prison walls.
The Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC) manages the incarcerated population throughout the State but also plays a major role in helping individuals reenter society. The DOC Work Release Program provides a structured transition period to prepare people for a successful, crime-free life once they return to the community. While the focus may be a path to employment, several DOC programs go deeper into the underlying causes of these barriers.
Continue to the full article.
This feature is part of a series of Fair Opportunities articles meant to raise awareness of the employment needs of justice-impacted individuals and the benefits to employers willing to give these returning citizens a chance at meaningful employment. Please visit the Fair Opportunities Hiring page on the Ramsey County Means Business website to find more resources and events being supported by the WIB.
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