ST. PAUL, MN – Last week the Minnesota House of Representatives Jobs and Economic Development Finance and Policy Committee discussed a bill authored by Rep. Jason Isaacson (DFL—Shoreview) that aims to boost Minnesota manufacturing jobs.
“This bill puts people to work. It’s a job creator, plain and simple,” said Rep. Isaacson. “We engaged a diverse range of interests and were able to find common ground. I’m very proud of that.”
HF 1391, the Job-Based Education and Apprenticeship Program (JEAP), was laid over for possible inclusion in the Jobs Omnibus bill. “I’ve committed to finding funding for this,” said committee chair Rep. Tim Mahoney (DFL—St. Paul).
Representatives from the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system (MnSCU), Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DOLI), and Century College attended the hearing to testify in support of the legislation.
HF 1391 is a significant departure from previous programs because it is an employer-based program specializing in customized training. It invests nearly $1 million to develop an apprenticeship program for manufacturing industries that integrate academic instruction and job-related learning in the workplace. The program directs MnSCU and DOLI to partner with eligible employers to identify training needs. Instruction would take place at Alexandria Technical and Community College, Century College, Hennepin Technical College, and Central Lakes College.
“This bill attacks the immediate need to produce more skilled workers in manufacturing but also works to strengthen the pipeline of workers going into manufacturing,” said Amy Walstien, the Director of Education and Workforce Development for the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce. “The manufacturing industry is critical to Minnesota’s economy – it comprises 15% of state GDP and employs 13% of our workforce – and growth in manufacturing grows jobs in other sectors.”
Rep. Isaacson’s legislation comes on the heels of a study released by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) on March 7 showing an ongoing difficulty among manufacturing employers to fill job openings due to a lack of skilled workers. Researchers from DEED interviewed about 200 Minnesota employers who were looking to fill a total of 1,500 job vacancies. A lack of skills among applicants was responsible for difficulty in one third of those cases.
“We know we are not meeting the needs of students who want to have a manufacturing career and we know we are not meeting the needs of our community of employers in this sector,” said Jeralyn Jargo, Vice President of Customized Training and Continuing Education at Century College. “We need to invest in providing education and training for a skilled manufacturing workforce.”
Jessica Loomen, Assistant Commissioner of the Construction Codes and Labor Standards Division at DOLI, is optimistic about the program’s prospects. “The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry supports apprenticeship opportunities to meet the current workforce needs of the manufacturing industry,” said Loomen. “Our hope is that we are able to partner with MnSCU, the Chamber of Commerce and the manufacturing industry to develop this program.”
Legislators from both sides of the aisle are lining up to support the apprenticeship program. “It’s my hope that we can put aside our differences and get this economy moving forward,” said Rep. Isaacson. “Job creation should be our number one priority.”