Minnesota manufacturers are hiring right now. Even as technology continues to evolve, more industries are blending the practices of the past with the technical know-how of the present. Manufacturing has seen less of an impact on employment during the pandemic than many other industries in the state – and many manufacturers across the state are ready to hire job seekers.

Minnesota Manufacturing Week ends today, but events and tours will continue throughout October. I'll be visiting some manufacturing facilities this month, and I encourage anyone who might be considering a career in manufacturing to learn more about this dynamic industry.

Careers in the manufacturing industry are typically high-quality jobs with good, family-sustaining wages. Average annual wages for manufacturing in Minnesota are $68,081 – that's a full 16% higher than the state's overall average wage.

Here's a local look at employment trends in manufacturing across Minnesota.

• Central Minnesota
• Northeast Minnesota
• Northwest Minnesota
• Southeast Minnesota
• Southwest Minnesota
• Twin Cities Metro

Skills training

As manufacturing becomes more advanced, employers, educators and career seekers are looking to evolve with it. Manufacturers are increasingly looking for skill sets in areas such as software engineering, computer science, analytics and automation.

DEED is focused on helping these companies evolve and grow through the Minnesota Job Skills Partnership (MJSP) which helps with the training costs so they can get the skilled workers to meet their current and future workforce needs.
Other training and education programs include:

• Dual Training Competency Grants, part of the Dual Training Program – a collaborative of the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI), Office of Higher Education, and DEED – provides grants to employers to train employees in achieving the competency standards in areas that include advanced manufacturing.
• The Pipeline Project at DLI provides grants for training in industries which include advanced manufacturing.
• Minnesota Precision Manufacturing Association offers an Academy and High School Manufacturing program.

A changing workforce

Manufacturing is continuing to become more inclusive and many employers are working to create a more welcoming work environment. The graph below shows the changes in workforce from 2010 to 2019.

Manufacturers will play a key role in our economic recovery. I encourage you to learn more about the opportunities that exist right now by:

• Checking out the Statewide Tour of Manufacturing website.
• Looking at the current Top 30 Jobs in Demand in Minnesota are in manufacturing, and get help with your job search at CareerForceMN.com.