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 November 2025
As we move into November, I’m reflecting on how connection, innovation and inclusion continue to shape our workforce community. From inspiring students at Career Connect Day to empowering young people through programs like YouthBuild, we see the impact of collaboration across Ramsey County.
The Workforce Innovation Board of Ramsey County (WIB) and its partners are driving progress, launching new tools, strengthening inclusive hiring and exploring the future of technology and skills-based hiring. Together, we’re creating opportunities that make our workforce stronger, more resilient and more welcoming for all.
On behalf of the WIB, thank you for your continued collaboration and commitment. Your partnership is essential to building a stronger future for our community.
- Yolanda Y. McIntosh, WIB Chair
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On Oct. 14, high school sophomores from across Ramsey County filled the RiverCentre with excitement and curiosity for the fourth annual Career Connect Day. Organized by the St. Paul Area Chamber, this event provided young people experiences and information to help them envision their paths beyond high school. Students had the opportunity to learn about six different career sectors:
- Business, Management & Administration
- Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources
- Arts, Communications & Information Systems
- Engineering, Manufacturing & Technology
- Health Science Technology Human Services
Ramsey County was on hand to provide career exploration information to students, as well as post-graduation resources for educators and administrators.
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Ramsey County has launched a redesigned website to better serve residents, businesses, and partners with improved navigation, accessibility and mobile responsiveness. As part of this update, the county’s web address has changed from ramseycounty.us to RamseyCountyMN.gov. Be sure to update your bookmarks and links to reflect the new RamseyCountyMN.gov URL.
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At the 2025 MnTech Talent Conference, the WIB’s Tech Committee lead a dynamic panel discussion focused on how public sector IT leaders are tackling today’s tech workforce challenges. The session, moderated by Catrice O’Neal, featured insights from:
- Jaime Wascalus, Director, Office of Technology and Communications – city of Saint Paul and Tech Committee Co-Chair
- Chetan Ganatra, Chief Information Officer – Ramsey County
- Sue Hauge, Deputy Chief Information Officer – Metropolitan Council
Panelists shared forward-thinking strategies for attracting and retaining top tech talent, cultivating inclusive and resilient teams and driving innovation. The discussion offered a unique perspective into how local government leaders are aligning their efforts with broader regional workforce development goals—highlighting the critical role of public sector innovation in shaping the future of tech in Minnesota.
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On Oct. 13, community members, local organizations and Ramsey County staff gathered at the American Indian Magnet School in Saint Paul to celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day. The event honored the histories, cultures and contributions of American Indian communities.
Commissioner Kelly Miller, who also serves on the Workforce Innovation Board, read a proclamation from the County Board recognizing the significance of the day and reaffirming the county’s commitment to honoring Tribal Nations and American Indian people.
Workforce Solutions staff attended the event and hosted a table to share employment and training resources with attendees, helping connect community members with valuable services and support.
The celebration was one of several fall events that reflect ongoing efforts to strengthen relationships with American Indian communities. It also served as a meaningful lead-in to Native American Heritage Month, recognized nationally each November.
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GAP School’s YouthBuild Construction Pathway students recently celebrated the completion of another successful construction cycle on Saint Paul’s West Side, where participants built a LEED‐certified home while gaining valuable career and life skills. Through the program—supported in part by Ramsey County WIOA Youth funding—students engaged in hands-on work in carpentry, electrical, framing, insulation, blueprint reading, painting and green building practices. Many also continued academic work, earning diploma equivalencies and industry credentials.
This past term demonstrates how youth can transform both their own opportunities and the built environment around them. The home constructed now contributes to the supply of affordable housing, and the participants graduate with credentialed experience employers value. Congratulations to all the YouthBuild students, and to the GAP School team, for making this model of workforce development and sustainable construction a reality.
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Inclusive Employer Toolkit: Building a hiring process that welcomes all
Workforce Solutions and the WIB are leading efforts to support employers to create a sense of welcoming for all employees within their organizations. One of these efforts is to provide an Inclusive Employer Toolkit. The toolkit aims to help employers provide a more welcoming environment for all by offering practices to build inclusion in the areas of employee recruitment, hiring, onboarding and retention.
The Hiring section of the toolkit focuses on building inclusive hiring processes that attract diverse talent and remove barriers to employment. It provides strategies on crafting inclusive job descriptions, expanding recruitment efforts to reach underrepresented communities, and implementing fair screening and interviewing practices. By adopting these approaches, employers can create an environment that welcome candidates from all backgrounds, ensuring equal opportunities for everyone to contribute and thrive in the workplace.
View the toolkit.
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The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) workforce training grants can help eligible businesses pay for workforce training. DEED provides training grant funding through the State of Minnesota Job Skills Partnership program, which has helped Minnesota businesses train thousands of workers in communities across the state.
Your business may qualify for one of these training grant programs to help offset training-related expenses. Grant programs DEED is highlighting right now include MJSP Partnership Grant, Automation Training Incentive Program Grant, and Job Training Incentive Program Grant.
Find out more and apply for funding here.
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 The Seven-County Twin Cities Metro Area has a diverse workforce and it is diversifying even more with time. According to the Census Bureau's Quarterly Workforce Indicators program, the Metro Area had over 1.8 million jobs in 2024. Of these total jobs, more than one-fifth (21.6%) were held by persons reporting as a race other than white. Additionally, 6.6% of the region's total jobs were held by persons reporting Hispanic or Latino origins. Comparatively, 16.9% of Minnesota's total jobs were held by persons reporting as a race other than white while 6.3% were held by persons reporting Hispanic or Latino origins. Zooming in, 10.1% of the Metro Area's jobs were held by Black or African Americans, 8.2% were held by Asian or other Pacific Islanders, 2.6% were held by persons reporting Two or More Races, and 0.8% were held by American Indian or Alaska Natives.
Continue to the full article.
Visit Ramsey County's Workforce Training Dashboard to learn more about how the county is connecting residents to the training programs needed to get people started or advancing in a career.
Providers of free or low cost workforce training programs can submit their program information for inclusion on the training dashboard through an easy to use self-submission form. The training dashboard includes nearly 100 training programs in and near Ramsey County across a wide range of in-demand industry sectors.
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 We’re thrilled to sponsor the 2025 Inclusive Workplaces Cohort, a 9-month peer learning journey designed to help Ramsey County employers build more inclusive and supportive workplaces. Each month, we spotlight one of the participating organizations that’s leaning into this important work. This month's spotlight is Wilder Foundation. Follow along on social media and in future WIB newsletters to see how these employers are leading by example.
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Tami Cybulski
Vice President of Human Resources, Blaze Credit Union
Member since 2024
Where do you see the most opportunity in Human Resource in the next few years?
I think the biggest opportunity is finding the right balance between technology and the human side of work. Human Resources can use data and digital tools to make things run more smoothly, while still making sure employees feel connected, valued, and like their work has purpose. At Blaze, we’re focused on staying ahead of workforce trends, but we never lose sight of putting our people at the center of every decision we make.
Learn more about Tami and Blaze Credit Union.
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Employer of the Day
Tuesdays, 3–5 p.m., at the Roseville Library
Looking for a new job? Every Tuesday, employers will visit the Ramsey County Library in Maplewood to talk about job opportunities in their organization. Bring your resumé and your best first impression to get hired.
Featured employers:
Trainer of the Day
Thursdays, 3–5 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:
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 The Indigenized Employer: Welcoming, growing and sustaining Native talent in Minnesota
Nov. 5, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
November’s Workforce Wednesday brings together educators, Native workforce practitioners and Minnesota employers to explore how partnerships with our relatives in Indian Country translate into welcoming, sustainable workplaces for Indigenous talent.
Panelists will share practical ways to move beyond “post and pray”— from sovereignty-aware outreach and culturally safe onboarding to supervisor readiness, mentorship and clear career ladders. We’ll highlight what actually improves belonging and long-term retention (good jobs, reciprocity, wraparound supports) so employers can begin strengthening Indigenous recruiting and retention with respect and results.
Featured panelists include:
- Evie Campbell - Director of Human Services, the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe
- Robert Blake - CEO and Founder, Solar Bear
- Joe Hobot - Executive Director, American Indian OIC
- Facilitator - James Whirlwind Soldier - Northwest Workforce Strategy Consultant, DEED
To register.
Apprenticeship Minnesota Mental Health Series: QPR, Question, Persuade and Refer
Nov. 12, 2-3:30 p.m.
Learn the three steps anyone can take to help prevent suicide. Just like CPR, QPR is an emergency response to someone in crisis, and it can save lives. QPR is the most widely taught gatekeeper training program in the United States, and more than one million adults have been trained in classroom settings in 48 states.
This event is hosted by Apprenticeship Minnesota, a program run by the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry that supports and promotes registered apprenticeship as a workforce development strategy across the state.
For questions or accommodations, please contact Vicky.Castorena@state.mn.us.
To register.
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 Power Within Us
Nov. 18, 3:30-5 p.m. at Frogtown Community Center
Power Within Us aims to connect young adults ages 16-24 currently on probation in Ramsey County with various internships, job and educational training programs, caring adults and other positive youth development supports.
During the sessions, community partners who provide employment and job training programs to justice impacted young adults present “right now” opportunities in which young people can start earning while learning new skills.
Sessions are typically the second Tuesday of each month. The November session has been shifted to the third Tuesday due to the Veteran's Day holiday.
Learn more about Power Within Us.
 MN Skills-Based Hiring Accelerator Workshops
Nov. 20, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Better Business Bureau - Burnsville
The Twin Cities Metro Workforce Development Boards are establishing a new partnership with Goodwill Easter-Seals, the Saint Paul Area Chamber, the Minneapolis Regional Chamber and Twin Cities SHRM for the MN Skills-Based Hiring Accelerator program. Employers can participate in a half-day in-person workshop to receive in-depth learning on:
- Rebuilding an employer's hiring process with a skills and competency-based approach by focusing on candidates’ capabilities rather than credentials.
- Improving retention by rebuilding job descriptions, interview processes, onboarding and more.
- Increasing diversity among your workforce using data-driven tools that lead to more equitable hiring processes.
- Providing networking with talent-sourcing organizations.
Following participation in a workshop, employers have access to monthly Community of Practice calls where they can dive into questions about the skills-based hiring process and receive optional one-on-one coaching from facilitators.
Visit mnskillsbased to register and learn more.
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In Ramsey County, MN, as across the nation, the pandemic changed how and where work gets done. Remote work became a necessity of industry, and hybrid work became a balance of opportunity as the nation’s workforce returned to the new normal post-pandemic. Even amidst headlines of return-to-office mandates, Gallup tells employers and workers alike that hybrid and remote work is here to stay.
Locally and across the country, the volume of hybrid and remote job postings has increased since the pandemic. But to what degree?
In their September update on current remote work and statistics trends for 2025, consulting firm Robert Half found that “24% of new job postings in Q2 2025 were hybrid and 12% were fully remote” across the country. Over a third of Q2’s job postings were listed as hybrid or fully remote.
By comparison, RCWS found via RealTime Talent that only 20% of the state’s 2024 job postings were either hybrid or fully remote: 12% hybrid, 8% fully remote. While the post-pandemic trend of increased hybrid and remote work has affected Minnesota’s job landscape as well, the trend has had less of an impact relative to the rest of the nation.
Continue to the full article.
As Ramsey County’s workforce evolves, understanding key trends is crucial for fostering a thriving and resilient economy. Throughout 2025, these articles will explore the critical workforce trends shaping our communities. The trends were presented by Erin Olson, Senior Director of Strategic Research at RealTime Talent at the Top Trends to Watch in 2025 in Ramsey County’s Workforce Landscape webinar in February.
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