Business and industry services
“By listening to Minnesota employers, we can obtain a greater, much more precise understanding of the state’s workforce needs. Armed with this data, we can ensure that higher education is delivering the right academic programs and preparing graduates with the skills necessary for the success of Minnesota’s businesses and communities.”
- Chancellor Steven Rosenstone
The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system is committed to supporting economic growth throughout the state. The system’s state universities and community and technical colleges provide career preparation and continuing career education for more Minnesotans than any other organization in the state.
By providing customized training to more than 122,000 employees annually, the system helps employers stay competitive and workers advance their skills and manage career changes.
For more information about our business and industry services, call the system-wide toll-free hotline at 1-800-366-7380, or e-mail business services.
Workforce assessment initiative
Minnesota State Colleges and Universities invite you to participate in an important “Workforce Assessment” initiative to address the state’s growing skills gap. The Workforce Assessment will engage employers in developing precise projections for how many workers and professionals, with what kinds of skills, will be needed in our area, for what kinds of jobs.
In April and May, more than 40 listening sessions throughout the state are planned with Minnesota employers to gain a better understanding of their current and future workforce needs. The data gathered from the sessions will be used by Minnesota State Colleges and Universities to align their certificates and degrees, worker retraining and customized training programs with the needs of Minnesota’s businesses, industries and communities.
Please join us for an April or May meeting near you that best matches your business/industry sector:
- Healthcare
- Information Technology
- Manufacturing
- Engineering
- Energy
- Transportation
Meeting materials and industry analysis reports can be found here.
Upcoming sessions
Sessions for the agriculture sector are planned for June and July. Sessions for additional sectors, including financial services and insurance, are being planned for this fall.
To find one or more meetings you would like to attend, go to http://mnworkforceneeds.eventbrite.com and register. There is no cost to attend a meeting. Advance registration is required.
At the sessions, employers will be asked to respond to a series of questions focused on key occupations in their industry in the following categories:
- Workforce Supply/Demand: What are your current and future hiring challenges? Where do most of your workers come from today? What does the future of your workforce look like ? what types of jobs will you need to fill and timeframe for filling these positions? What is your estimate for how many positions you may need to fill?
- Workforce Skills: What qualities/skills are you currently looking for (or will be looking for in the future) but not finding in your workers? What skills/abilities would you like to see in individuals entering the workforce that you are not seeing today? What changes or trends will affect your industry over the next 2-5 years? What are the implications of these trends for your workforce requirements? What skills or credentials (e.g., technical skills, ?soft? skills, leadership skills, languages, etc.) do you expect to be looking for in the next two years?
The sessions are being championed by the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and local chambers across the state in cooperation with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, the Minnesota Initiative Foundations, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities and other private, public sector and non-profit organizations.
