St. Paul – The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announced today that the Workforce One Connect app (WF1 Connect) — a collaboration between DEED, Minnesota IT Services (MNIT) and the Department of Human Services (DHS) — is a finalist for the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) 2023 State IT Recognition Awards.

The WF1 Connect app is a finalist in the Information Communications Technology Innovations category. It is among 31 finalists across 10 categories.

"The Workforce One Connect app is just one example of the innovative technology produced by our state agencies to improve Minnesotans' lives every day," said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek. "The app is paramount in ensuring job seekers can access the support programs they need, and it gives them the opportunity to succeed."

"This simple and direct channel of communication between customers and staff improves access to important resources many Minnesotans rely on to achieve their employment goals," said Department of Human Services Commissioner Jodi Harpstead. "The app helps to eliminate some of the obstacles that can result in the loss of critical economic and employment support benefits and services."

WF1 Connect is a mobile app designed to allow customers enrolled in public services across multiple Minnesota state agencies to easily and securely communicate with staff and remotely submit documents necessary for compliance using their phone or tablet. Across the 76 partners that have activated WF1 Connect, more than 5,300 customers have interacted with the app, with 46,559 messages having been sent back and forth between staff and customers.

Recently, WF1 Connect also won the Merrill Baumgardner Innovation in Information Technology Award at the National Association of State Workforce Agencies. In 2022, a customer survey showed that 81% of respondents were very or somewhat satisfied with WF1 Connect.

"Our goal is always to make public services more accessible for all Minnesotans," said MNIT Commissioner Tarek Tomes. "I'm proud that the National Association of State Chief Information Officers recognized how beneficial the Workforce One Connect app is."

The NASCIO State IT Recognition Awards honor transformational projects and initiatives that address critical business problems, improve business processes and elevate the user's experience. To see this year's nominees, as well as past years, visit the NASCIO Awards Library website.