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Employer Engagement

James Whirlwind Soldier, Workforce Strategy Consultant – NW MN

James.whirlwindsoldier@state.mn.us

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Agenda

  • Review the Career Pathways Toolkit
    • Define the components relevant to our conversation today
  • Review the Top 5 Employers in the Region
    • Identify skill competencies and training needs
    • Clarify role of employers in existing training systems
    • Identify how ABE can meet these needs

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  • Ways to Connect with Businesses
    • The Drive for Five
    • The Pipeline
    • Tools for engagement
    • Connecting with Populations
  • Q & A

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The Career Pathways Toolkit

Element Two:

  1. Identify Industry Sectors and Engage Employers
  2. Conduct Labor Market Analysis to Target High-Demand and Growing Industries
  3. Survey and Engage Key Industry Leaders from Targeted Industries and/or Sector Partnerships
  4. Clarify the Role of Employers in the Development and Operation of Programs
  5. Identify Existing Training Systems within Industry and the Natural Progression and/or Mobility
  6. Identify the Skill Competencies and Associated Training Needs
  7. Sustain and Expand Business Partnerships

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Relevant Components for Today’s Conversation

Element Two:

  1. Identify Industry Sectors and Engage Employers
  2. Conduct Labor Market Analysis to Target High-Demand and Growing Industries
  3. Survey and Engage Key Industry Leaders from Targeted Industries and/or Sector Partnerships
  4. Clarify the Role of Employers in the Development and Operation of Programs
  5. Identify Existing Training Systems within Industry and the Natural Progression and/or Mobility
  6. Identify the Skill Competencies and Associated Training Needs
  7. Sustain and Expand Business Partnerships

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Top 5 Employers in the North

  • Digi-Key
  • American Crystal Sugar
  • Essentia Health
  • Cirrus Aircraft
  • Delta

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Points to Consider

  • Don’t exclude smaller and less served organizations. Often bigger businesses have systems in place to give people a hand up.
  • Often, it’s culture that will be most receptive, and it’s impossible to see that from the stats.

“Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast.” - Peter Drucker

  • Orgs are made of different divisions with different workforce needs, look for the right division.

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Order Fulfillment Team member

  • Thief River Falls
  • Founded in 1972
  • $5.1 Billion in annual sales
  • 5000+ Employees

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DigiKey’s Order Fulfillment Team Member

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DigiKey

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Top 5 Employers in the North

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  • Duluth
  • Founded in 1984
  • $360 Million in annual revenue
  • 1700 Employees

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Cirrus Aircraft’s Manufacturing Technician

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Cirrus Aircraft

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Top 5 Employers in the North

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  • Moorhead
  • Founded in 1899.
  • $1.5 Billion in annual revenue
  • 1400 full time employees; 900 seasonal workers, and many more contracted workers

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American Crystal Sugar

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American Crystal Sugar

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Identify Skills Competencies & Training Needs

  • High School diploma or equivalent
  • English speaking, reading, and communication competency
  • Basic computer competencies
  • Professional acumen
  • Basic Math Skills

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Clarify Role of Employer in Existing Training Systems

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  • DigiKey’s Order Fulfillment Team Member: No mention of training or assistance programs
  • Cirrus Aircraft’s Manufacturing Technician: Trained on installing aircraft components, sub-assemblies, and composite parts, but no mention of other training or assistance programs
  • American Crystal Sugar offers Vocational Training and Scholarships for specific skilled roles

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There is an expectation that applicants already have foundational skills necessary to succeed at the most basic level.

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The ROCC Website

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Courses offered through ROCC

  • Developing a Future Pathway  (Lakes Area Adult Ed)
  • Driver's Written Exam Prep (Lakes Area Adult Ed)
  • Accelerated Driver's Written Exam Prep (Lakes Area Adult Ed)
  • English Vocab for Driver's Exam Prep (Moorhead Adult Ed)
  • English for CDL Exam Prep (NWSC Adult Ed)

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  • English for Healthcare Pathways (Moorhead Adult Ed)
  • English for Hospitality Careers (AEOA Adult Ed)
  • Math for the Trades (Duluth Adult Ed)
  • ServSafe Review & Test ( NW Service Coop,

Lakes Area, AEOA)

  • TEAS Exam Prep (nursing admissions test)

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�NorthStar Digital Literacy

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Atlas

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ACES (Academic Career & Employability Skills)

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Other ABE Offerings

  • Distance Learning Platforms that can be accessed by computer at work, or even on their phone.
    • ABE can lend devices to learners
  • Provide Academic Assessments
    • Offer feedback and training to advance academically
    • Secondary education preparation
  • Adult Diploma
    • Credentials from international educational institutions can transfer into an adult diploma

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ABE Offerings and Retention

  • Citizenship / Civics
  • Health Literacy
  • Critical Thinking / Learning how to Learn
  • Personal and Group Effectiveness
  • Financial Literacy
  • Family Literacy (where available)

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Top 5 Employers in the South

  • Mayo Clinic
  • 3M
  • Fastenal Co
  • Jennie-O Turkey Store
  • Hormel

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Mayo Clinic

  • Rochester
  • First opened its doors in the fall of 1887
  • Revenue of $4.5 billion annually
  • 76,000 employees

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Mayo Clinic

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Mayo Clinic’s Health Unit Coordinator

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Mayo Clinic

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Fastenal Co

  • Winona
  • Founded in 1967
  • Revenue of $7 billion annually
  • 20,500 employees

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Fastenal Co’s Entry Level Machinist

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Fastenal Co’s Entry Level Machinist

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3M

  • St. Paul
  • Founded in 1902
  • Revenue of $34 billion annually
  • 92,000 employees

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3M’s Assembler

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3M’s Assembler

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3M Assembler

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Clarify Role of Employer in Existing Training Systems

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  • Mayo Clinic
  • Fastenal
  • 3M’s Machinist Role receives training on machine operation, but it’s assumed the candidate will have strong math aptitude and communication skills

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There is an expectation that applicants already have foundational skills necessary to succeed at the most basic level.

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The Drive for Five

mn.gov/deed

  • Technology
  • Caring Professions
  • Education
  • Manufacturing
  • Trades

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The Pipeline

mn.gov/deed

Workforce

Meaningful Careers

Upskilling

Credentialing

Wraparound Services

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Methods to connect to Businesses

  • LinkedIn
  • Business Networking Events
  • Local Chamber of Commerce Events
  • Your Regional Workforce Strategy Consultant

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Methods to connect to Populations

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Thank You

Anthony Schaffhauser, Labor Market Analyst – NW MN

Anthony.Schaffhauser@state.mn.us

James Whirlwind Soldier, Workforce Strategy Consultant – NW MN

James.WhirlwindSoldier@state.mn.us 

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Carly Voshell,

Transitions Coordinator

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The Employer Engagement Self-Assessment

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Strategic Planning

  • Independently, complete the two page Employer Engagement Self-Assessment and start to identity needs. (Career Pathways Toolkit handout provided.)
  • In a small group, discuss the assessment. What are your program’s strengths with engaging with employers? What areas need to be developed?
  • What are the top 3 areas you plan to prioritize in order to enhance employer engagement?

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