Dear neighbors,
For decades, Minnesota has boasted a well educated workforce thanks to our historical commitment to education.
Strong schools build a strong workforce, which is a major reason we’ve been able to attract and retain major employers that provide great jobs for middle-class families. In fact, we have consistently had one of the highest numbers of Fortunate 500 companies per capita in the country.
Continuing to build a highly-skilled and talented workforce is the best way we can position our state to compete in an increasingly global economy. That’s why I’m excited to announce that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce recently ranked Minnesota second in the nation for our ‘talent pipeline’ – a key metric of the skills and talents of our workforce.
Here is an excerpt from the Chamber’s report:
“Ranked 2nd for its talent pipeline in this year's report, Minnesota is strengthening workforce skills and economic growth by bringing multiple stakeholders to the table to work in partnership.
The state's Governor's Workforce Development Council (GWDC) brings together leaders from the private, public, and education sectors, along with community leaders, to recommend ways to better align the state's workforce skill development with real-world needs.
The Minnesota Job Skills Partnership, part of the state's Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), has also been tasked with leading state efforts to build a more globally competitive workforce. The initiative provides training grants of up to $400,000 to educational institutions throughout the state to build workforce skills training partnerships with private industry.”
Thanks to the legislature’s historic investments in education, such as providing all-day Kindergarten for every child, preschool scholarships for low-income families, additional funding tied to rigorous achievement standards and a two-year college tuition freeze, Minnesota is well positioned to continue building a talented workforce and compete with businesses across the globe.
Tomorrow’s update will reveal the results of new Twin Cities metro economic report from BMO Harris Bank.
Sincerely,
Will Morgan
State Representative, District 56B