Home to the state's second-largest metro, the Northeast Region has a strong industrial sector, tied largely to the area's abundant natural resources.
Most of the manufacturing base centers on mining and forest products industries. More than half of the sector's employment is in paper and machinery manufacturing.
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11/5/2020 9:00:00 AM
Carson Gorecki
Veterans are important contributors to Minnesotan economies and communities, and a larger than average share of veterans calls Northeast Minnesota home. In 2019, there were an estimated 26,596 veterans in Northeast Minnesota, accounting for 8.2% of the population, according the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA). In fact, over 11% of Aitkin County and nearly 10% of Lake County residents were veterans. St. Louis, Carlton and Cook Counties had veteran shares below the regional average, yet still three percentage points higher than the state average (see Table 1).
| Table 1. Veteran Population by County, Northeast Minnesota, 2019 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| County | Total Population | Number of Veterans | Veterans as a Percent of Total Population | Veterans in the Labor Force |
| Aitkin | 15,886 | 1,767 | 11.1% | 351 |
| Carlton | 35,871 | 2,794 | 7.8% | 925 |
| Cook | 5,463 | 429 | 7.9% | 86 |
| Itasca | 45,130 | 4,103 | 9.1% | 1,070 |
| Koochiching | 12,229 | 1,100 | 9.0% | 336 |
| Lake | 10,641 | 1,019 | 9.6% | 148 |
| St. Louis | 199,070 | 15,384 | 7.7% | 4,806 |
| Northeast Minnesota | 324,290 | 26,596 | 8.2% | 7,723 |
| Minnesota | 5,639,632 | 318,063 | 5.6% | 109,771 |
| Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs | ||||
Of the veterans living in Northeast Minnesota, over 56% are at least 65 years old and just over 40% served during the Vietnam War era (1964-1975). There are also over 11,000 veterans of working age and nearly 8,000 in the labor force.
The region's labor force participation rate for veterans between 18 and 64 years of age was 68.6% in 2018, while the average unemployment rate of 7.5% for veterans was much higher than the general population, at 5.1%. Importantly, in 2019 about 25% of all veterans in the U.S. had a service-connected disability. The labor force participation rate for disabled workers in Northeast Minnesota was much lower (43.4%) and the unemployment rate was much higher (12.4%).
There are veterans in Northeast Minnesota looking for work and many are well qualified. Via initiatives such as the Minnesota GI Bill and the MDVA's Higher Education Veterans Programs, Minnesotan veterans have good access to education and training opportunities. Most have taken full advantage. In Northeast Minnesota, 38.7% of veterans have some college or an associate degree and 20.2% have a bachelor's degree or higher. By comparison, 32.8% of the general population have some college or an associate degree and 23.0% have a bachelor's degree or higher.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, veterans are more likely to end up in certain types of occupations. Relative to non-veterans, veterans are much more likely to work in Installation, Maintenance, and Repair and Transportation and Material Moving occupations. By industry, veterans are about five times more likely than non-veterans to hold Federal Government jobs and more than 50% more likely to work in Transportation and Utilities. Veterans are also nearly twice as likely to be self-employed than non-veterans.
Veterans return from service with a vast array of unique skills and experiences. They will continue to be an incredibly valuable resource for local employers looking for high-quality, well-trained candidates. The entire Northeast Region stands to benefit.
If you are a veteran looking to transition to a civilian job, check out CareerForceMN.com's veteran resources including a crosswalk that matches military skills to civilian careers. You may also want to try O*NET's My Next Move For Veterans website. One tool on this site matches military classifications with similar civilian careers, allowing veterans to leverage their experience and skills gained while serving.
The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development has an employment team dedicated to serving Minnesotan veterans and their needs. Check out this page on CareerForceMN.com to find your regional veterans employment representative and learn how they might help you or a veteran you know
Veterans, active duty military service members and their spouses are also invited to participate in this year's Virtual Veterans Career Fair taking place on November 19.
Contact Northeast Minnesota Labor Market Analyst Carson Gorecki at 218-302-8413.
