One of the most difficult parts of growing a business right now is finding workers.  With Minnesota's nation-leading 68.5% labor force participation rate, in Southeast Minnesota there are still over three jobs open for everyone person looking for work.

There are some groups though that have higher unemployment rates and more people looking for work, statewide and in our region.  The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), recognizing there may be barriers to employment for some groups, has established programs that help both employers and jobseekers.  The following highlights a few:

People with Disabilities

Workers with disabilities bring skills and add a valuable dimension to any company.

People with Disabilities

Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development

Employer Reasonable Accommodation Fund

Workforce Training for Minnesota Employers

There are also great resources available to help with training or re-training your workforce.

Minnesota Job Skills Partnership (MJSP) MJSP works with businesses, educational insitutions, and nonprofit organizations to train or retrain workers, expand work opporutnities, and keep high-quality jobs in the state.  The goal is to target short-term training for full-time employment in the growth sectors of the state's economy. Learn More

 

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For more great resources in finding workers, click here.  If you need help navigating these programs, Key Accounts and Economic Development Manager Marty Walsh is here to help and you can email him at mwalsh@peoplesenergy.coop.