Central Minnesota is a manufacturing stronghold, with several global manufacturing firms operating there.
The region is especially well known for its expertise in food processing, printing, furniture manufacturing, appliances, machinery and heavy equipment manufacturing.
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6/14/2023 9:00:00 AM
Luke Greiner
Jobs that support or provide health care for others can be an excellent career while also providing a necessary service in the region. Opportunities to work in the Health Care industry range from entry level occupations that can be attained with a high school diploma or less (such as Home Health Aides and Personal Care Aides) to highly skilled, experienced and educated occupations that require advanced degrees (Physicians and Surgeons). The variety of occupations means there is something for everyone if a career in health care desired.
In Central Minnesota there are 31 occupations in the Health Science career cluster that are in relatively high demand, and the vast majority of these have median wages well above typical for the region ($47,251). Figure 1 below illustrates the variety of Health Science Occupations in Demand. Home Health Aides and Personal Care Aides rank 3rd overall in demand, but also provide low wages, with a median of $32,476. Likewise, Nursing Assistants rank 4th but earn less than $40,000 per year. Of course, money isn't the only motivation to work and the top two occupations in the chart provide opportunities to help others by providing direct care and help individuals achieve their highest quality of life.
The second most common health occupation is Registered Nurses (RNs). With employment above 5,900 workers and a median wage of more than $86,000 per year, this highly demanded occupation can be attained with a 2-year degree in Minnesota. RN occupations have specialized through the years and there are opportunities for various RN positions requiring higher levels of education.
An advantage of healthcare careers is that they exist in every corner of our state and country, and even highly specialized occupations can be found in both rural communities or large metro areas. This allows workers in these occupations to have geographic freedom and mobility. If you enjoy helping others and have interest working in the Health Care industry, check out these careers!
Contact Luke Greiner, Labor Market Analyst, at luke.greiner@state.mn.us
June is the kick off for the Follow Your Heart to a Caring Career campaign, including a proclamation from the Governor explaining the benefits of working in Health Care & Social Assistance. DEED's Regional Analysts put together a series of blogs focused on Health Care employment and opportunities in all 6 planning regions:
Northeast | Northwest | Southeast | Southwest | Twin Cities
As detailed in previous articles, the Health Care & Social Assistance industry has been under stress since the pandemic, but remains a great long-term career opportunity as it is projected to be the largest growing industry over the next decade. The goal of the Caring Careers campaign is to help jobseekers find their fit in health care employment that makes a real difference in the lives of others. Jobseekers that are interested can begin an in-demand career path with great growth potential and no training beyond high school required to start in many positions. Employers even pay for initial training in many cases – and they may also pay for future training to help workers grow their career and earn more money. Many employers also welcome employees who are learning English.
