DEED: Minnesota seeing job growth despite lingering labor shortages

ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) – Representatives from Mayo Clinic, state universities and public schools held a roundtable Wednesday and discussed ways to make students of all ages excited about learning and pursuing higher education, a trade, or even starting a business.

Some ideas included increasing internship opportunities and partnerships between schools and businesses. There are 40,000 lower pay-grade health care jobs still open but, the good news is that the economy is recovering from the effects of the pandemic.

“We’re about 75% back in terms of the number of jobs that we’ve pulled back into our economy since losing 416,000 at the start of the pandemic,” DEED Commissioner Steve Grove said. “That’s a pretty stunning decline. Every state experienced that. Our job growth in general is well above average, well above the national rate. But, the labor shortage here is critical.”

The state’s “Build What Matters” campaign aims to educate residents on education, job opportunities and grants that they can apply for to help them grow a business or pursue other career prospects.

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