IQ Magazine - Winter 2011

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Where others see problems, we see opportunity.

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Contents

FEATURESWho’s Hiring Who?The jobs of 2011 and beyond.

Digital DivideMore jobs require computer skills, but many Minnesotans stillcan’t find the on button.

Train StationsSix educational experiments, transformations and handshakesthat are getting workers back on track.

Jump StartA new national certificate takes the guesswork out of hiring.

D EPARTMENTS

OUR MISSION:

Unlock the power of central Minnesota peopleto build and sustain healthy communities.

INITIATIVE FOUNDATION GOALS:

–Strengthen Economic Opportunity–Preserve Key Places and Natural Resources–Support Children, Youth, and Families–Build Organizational Effectiveness–Encourage the Spirit of Giving

ABOUT THE COVER:

Who’s hiring who? Photo illustration by Andrea L. Baumann.

IQ Magazine WINTER 2011

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26

Kathy’s Note4 Clarity

IQ Points8 Your Two-Minute Digest

Signs of the Times10 Re-assembly Required

What is the future of manufacturingand construction?

12 Unemployed to EntrepreneurMore displaced workers are becoming theirown bosses.

Tear Sheet14 How (and Why) to be a Lifelong Learner

Brainiac48 An IQ & A with Minnesota State

Demographer Tom Gillaspy andState Economist Tom Stinson

22 26

16 19

Economy-focused issues of IQ are published with supportfrom the SPEDCO Fund of The Saint Paul Foundation.

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3WINTER 2011

Dayton D. Hultgren, PrincipalBob Bunger, Principal

Dianne Tindall Hennes, PrincipalKatrina Pierson, Senior Associate

Sarah C. Libbon, Adjunct Marketing Specialist

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5


Born. All ok.

I thought I sent a perfectly clear text message from the delivery room when our sonMark,his wife Melissa, Grandma Lori, and I greeted their second baby. Apparently that wasn’tthe case.

A flurry of text replies came from my normally stoic husband, Neal, and ourdaughter, Melanie.

need more infoboy or girlweight?going crazy!

I guess more clarity would have been better.

As we begin this new year of working together toward economic recovery, we couldall use a little more clarity.

Employers preparing to expand their businesses and create jobs must be clear aboutthe kinds of skills they will be seeking. Educators must be clear about what they can deliv-er in training and skills development. Economic developers and community leaders mustbe clear about their services and priorities.

But like grandmothers in delivery rooms, we don’t yet have all of the information.As we attempt to rediscover economic prosperity, we have to remember that many

of the next decade’s hottest jobs and technologies do not exist today. That means wehave to focus on core skills, science and mathematics, problem-solving, leadership andcreativity. In a nutshell, we have to teach our current and future workforce to relearnhow to learn.

In this issue of IQ, we asked Minnesota’s economic and workforce experts to dust offtheir crystal balls to predict the hiring hotbeds of 2011, and perhaps most importantly,which skills will be required to land these critical jobs. We think you’ll be surprised atwhat they said.

We are also excited to announce the next phase of our partnership with three region-al workforce leaders to introduce the National Career Readiness Certificate, a vehicle foremployers to make smarter hiring decisions and for job-seekers to prove they have theessential skills for business growth.

Happy New Year, and enjoy the magazine!

Kathy Gaalswyk

Kathy’s Note

clarity

Initiative Quarterly Magazine IQmag.org4

Kathy and Neal welcome Benaiah Mark Gaalswykto the family. Ben was born on December 23,weighing in at 7 pounds, 15 ounces.


WINTER 2011 5

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Volume 9, Winter 2011

Initiative Quarterly Magazinewww.IQmag.org

INITIATIVE FOUNDATIONVice President for External Relations | Matt KilianGrants & Communications Specialist | Anita Hollenhorst

EDITORIALManaging Editor | Elizabeth Foy LarsenWriter | Sarah ColburnWriter | Mackenzie LobbyWriter | Liz PotasekWriter | Lawrence SchumacherWriter | Dawn Zimmerman

ARTArt Director | Andrea BaumannProduction Manager | Bryan PetersenLead Photographer | John Linn

ADVERTISING / SUBSCRIPTIONSAdvertising Director | Brian LehmanAdvertising Manager | Lois HeadAdvertiser Services | Mary SavageSubscriber Services | Katie Riitters

IQ EDITORIAL BOARDInitiative Foundation | Kathy GaalswykInitiative Foundation | Randy OlsonAdult Basic Education Regional Transitions | Mag PatridgeAlexandria Technical College | Kevin KopischkeCentral Lakes College | Rebecca BestPine Technical College | Stefanie SchroederQuad/Graphics | George WilkesMinnesota DEED | Joan DanielsonRidgewater College | Kathy SchwantesRural MN CEP, INC | Arlyce CucichRural MN CEP, INC | Craig NathanRural MN CEP, INC | Terry JanesStearns-Benton Employment & Training Council | Kathy ZavalaStearns-Benton Employment & Training Council | Michael BurzetteStearns-Benton Employment & Training Council | Paula ErdmannSt. Cloud State University | John BurgesonSt. Cloud State University | Frank Harrold

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7WINTER 2011


� Job postings for the third quarter of 2010were up 83.5 percent in the central Minnesotaregion compared to a year ago. Almost half ofthose jobs are in employment categories thatinclude temporary and administrative supportstaffing services. Uncertainty over healthcare reform and its costs, unemploy-ment taxes and government uncertain-ty may be giving cautious employersreason to pause before hiring. Turn topage 16 to find out where the jobs are now andwhere they’ll be in the next year.

� Minnesota boasts a 25 billion dollar medicaldevices industry. Until recently, industry execu-tives were frustrated that there weren’t enoughworkers with the experience to get approval fornew products from the FDA and to make surethose products stay in compliance with govern-ment standards. In response to that urgentneed, St. Cloud State University creat-ed new master’s degrees in regulatoryaffairs and applied research. To learnabout the most innovative and effective educationinnovations taking place across central Minnesota,turn to page 22.

� Of the 17,000 jobs the economic recessionstripped from central Minnesota, no industrieswere hit harder than construction and manu-facturing. Since 2008, the region hasshed nearly 7,000 manufacturing jobsand more than 3,000 construction jobs.The two industries currently employ roughly40,000 workers in central Minnesota. For anupdate on the future of manufacturing and con-struction in central Minnesota, turn to page 10.

� Thousands of Minnesota adults, many fromthe Baby Boomer generation, need basic com-puter training to land even entry-level employ-ment. Every day, supervisors atMinnesota WorkForce Centersencounter job seekers who struggle toturn on a computer, log into a system,open files or click a box using amouse. For more on how digital skills areincreasingly vital for job seekers, see page 19.

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Quotations“ ”“[We have] looked at regional economic trends, edu-cation and workforce data to get people back to workin central Minnesota. It’s our number-one priority.”

– Kathy GaalswykInitiative Foundation

“Entrepreneurship is the lifeblood of innovation incentral Minnesota. Many of the largest employers in theregion started out as one to two person ventures—by peo-ple who were born and raised here, went to college here,and decided to take some risk.”

– Henry FischerSt. Cloud Area Economic Development Partnership

Our responsibility as public institutions is to align ourteaching resources with the needs of our region. We aredeeply engaged in trying to grow the economy ofcentral Minnesota.”

– Dr. Earl PotterPresident of St. Cloud State University

“The jobs that require on-the-spot decision making oran ability to make adjustments will have the largestdemand.

– Tom StinsonMinnesota State Economist

“If you’re one of those unemployed, it’s a terrible picture,but the companies that are still around are more stableand viable.”

– Les EngelCentral Minnesota Manufacturers Association

“The belief in theworkforce development fieldis that we’re training peoplefor careers and technologies

that don’t even exist yet.”

– Kathy ZavalaExecutive Director, Stearns-BentonEmployment & Training Council



Re-assemblyRequired

By Lawrence Schumacher | Photograph by John Linn

Of the 17,000 jobs the economic recession hasstripped from central Minnesota in the lastthree years, no industries were hit harder thanconstruction and manufacturing.

Central Minnesota—the heart of manufacturing in the state—hasshed nearly 7,000 manufacturing jobs since 2008.More than 3,000 con-struction jobs have disappeared in the same period.

Still, the two industries currently employ roughly 40,000 workersin central Minnesota, or 16.3 percent of the regional workforce, accord-ing to Minnesota Department of Employment and EconomicDevelopment (DEED) quarterly labor statistics. Some companies areeven discovering that they are positioned to thrive as the economyrecovers, mostly because they have cut labor costs.

“If you’re one of those unemployed, it’s a terrible picture,” said LesEngel, founder of Engel Metallurgical in St. Cloud and president of theCentral Minnesota Manufacturers Association. “But the companiesthat are still around are more stable and viable.”

Manufacturing Rebound?Parts of the manufacturing industry— including computer numericalcontrolled (CNC) machine tool operators, tube bending equipmentoperators and machinery mechanics—are experiencing labor shortagesnow, according to Cameron Macht, DEED regional analyst for centraland southwestern Minnesota.

“There’s no doubt that manufacturing is among the industries thatbore the brunt of the crisis,” said Randy Olson, Initiative Foundationvice president for economic opportunity. “But we see some of our loanclients making a fairly dramatic rebound, and that’s a good sign for theregion. Manufacturing brings in new money. It’s like a shot of caffeinethat tends to wake up the economy.”

But many manufacturers will rely heavily on temporary staffinguntil they’re sure the economic picture has significantly improved. PineCity-based MINPACK, Inc., an Initiative Foundation business loanclient that converts film and paper, has capitalized on the fact that tem-porary and contract labor have always been a part of their business strat-

What is the future of manufacturingand construction?

egy. The company even created its own temporary staffing agency,called 4staffing, in 2007 to ensure a good supply of labor.

As customers reduced their inventories and turned in-house forwork they had previously contracted out to MINPACK, the companywas able to capitalize on their flexible staffing model. Now that theindustry is emerging from the recession, the company anticipates somepossible growth in the near future. “As the economy recovers, we seemore and more un-forecasted demand,” said owner Robert Thompson.“Our flexible workforce and strong relationship with 4staffing allows usto scale up new products on a fast track.”

In other parts of the industry, federal stimulus bill hiring incen-tives—including on-the-job training wage reimbursement and payrolltax cuts—have helped motivate some manufacturers to start hiringagain. Businesses that have expanded into international markets aredoing the best, according to Tim Zipoy, workforce development advis-er for Central Minnesota Jobs & Training Services in Monticello.“That’s the way you’ve got to look at it now, on a global scale,” he said.

Manufacturing in food and agriculture, metal fabricating, biomed-ical, energy and other specialized areas are, according to Zipoy,rebounding faster than manufacturing related to the construction andhousing industry.

Construction BluesExperts estimate that 80 percent of the region’s licensed contractorswere directly impacted by the recession. The construction professionalswho survived did so by accepting that the housing boom of the previ-ous decade—spurred largely by exurban growth and seasonal housing

ROBERT THOMPSON, MINPACK: “As the economy recovers, we seemore and more un-forecasted demand."

Signs of the Times


WINTER 2011 11

construction—is gone for good. “The ones who are still work-ing diversified and took advantage of every opportunity, nomatter how small,” said Cheryal Hills, executive director of theRegion Five Development Commission in Staples.

But many companies that expanded throughout centralMinnesota’s construction heydays of the 90s and early 2000swere not able to shrink fast enough to stay afloat when theboom went bust. And the economic recovery is going to takelonger than in many other industries. “What we used to thinkwould take 12-24 months, now we’re hearing projections thatit’s going to take three to four years to come back,” said Hills.

Today, the prospects for many construction workers aresobering. “Too many people are chasing too few jobs in theindustry right now,” said Steve Northway, chairman ofBrainerd-based Northway Construction, which survived withfew layoffs by diversifying and keeping a low overhead.

And that’s changed the dynamic of the industry. “Fouryears ago, you couldn’t find a contractor to build a deck foryou,” said Hills. “Now, everybody will do a small projectbecause they need a lot of them to keep going.”

Companies and contractors are using their skills to take on newlines of work, including energy audits forutility companies and building and rehabil-itating low-income housing, according toHills. More contractors are training to meeta growing demand for “green” buildings andlow-impact developments.

The segments of the industry thatshow potential for growth in the comingyears include existing home renovationsand hospitality and health care construc-tion, according to Scott Kuehl, vice presi-dent of marketing and sales at Baxter-based Nor-Son Construction, whose field staff is down 40 percentfrom its 2007-2008 peak of 120 workers.

The company is also taking on projects in places outside centralMinnesota, including Bismarck, N.D. and San Antonio, Texas. “Therecession has taken us out of our comfort zone and out of our backyard,”said Kuehl. “But we’ve had to grow in some cases to keep up with ourexisting clients and find new ones.”

Future OutlookWhile older construction workers may not return to the industry,there will be more jobs in the future, according to DEED long-termindustry projections. From less than 10,000 jobs today, projectionsfrom the agency’s Labor Market Information employment outlook

SCOTT KUEHL, NOR-SON: “The recession has taken us out of our comfort zone andout of our backyard.”

call for up to 16,000 construction workers by 2016.The manufacturing industry is projected to rebound as well,

although not to pre-recession levels. DEEDestimates show up to 42,000 peopleemployed in manufacturing in centralMinnesota by 2016, up from the roughly30,000 employed at the beginning of 2010.

In the meantime, experts have concernsabout the future workforces in both indus-tries. Necessity is forcing many would-beconstruction workers to train for otherindustries, which could result in a laborshortage down the line, according to Hills.

Training tomorrow’s workers is also achallenge for manufacturing. “Developing the workforce and gettingpeople trained for the higher-skill jobs goes down all the way into highschool and junior high,” said Engel. “If you lack the basic skills neededto learn and adapt, you can’t just go off and get training in these moreadvanced skills.”

Experts agree that workers need to remain flexible and find ways tolearn the skills that are necessary to adapt to the changing needs of bothindustries. Nor-Son has recently hired less traditional staff, includingarchitects and even a nursing home administrator as the companymoves into design, consulting and branding duties. “I don’t think that’slimited to the construction industry,” said Northway. “It’s more impor-tant than ever today to add skills and be able to move from one special-ty to another, especially if you’re unemployed and looking for work.” IQ

“Manufacturing bringsin new money. It’s like a

shot of caffeine that tends towake up the economy.”


Unemployed toEntrepreneur

By Dawn Zimmerman | Photograph by John Linn

For 23 years, Sandi Bernard counted on her careeras a social worker. Losing her job was not an outcomeshe saw coming. “I was crushed,” said the married mother ofthree from Richmond. “Nothing like that had happened to

me before.”Bernard decided not to let her degrees in social work and human

relations hold her back from considering work outside of the only indus-try she had ever known. “I thought I could be the neighborhood cleaninglady,” she said. She loved the idea of working close to home, creating herown schedule and coming and going as she pleased.

She founded her company, which she named You Have It Maid, thatsame year.

The recession has helped drive entrepreneurship nationwide. A 2009study by the Kansas City-based Kauffman Foundation found that anaverage of 320 out of 100,000 adults created a new business each monthlast year, even as the recession took hold. That’s up 7 percent from 2007.

“In the long-run, communities that lack a culture of entrepreneur-ship will not grow as fast as they otherwise might,” said Rick Bauerly,board chair of the Anderson Center in St. Cloud and managing partnerof Granite Equity Partners, a St. Cloud investment firm.

Self-employment—a business with no employees—is also on therise, especially in central Minnesota. The number of people working forthemselves grew 9.4 percent in the St. Cloud metro area from 2003 to2008, according to U.S. Census data. That’s compared to 7.9 percentstatewide during the same period.

“Entrepreneurship is the lifeblood of innovation in centralMinnesota,” added Henry Fischer, development director at the St. CloudArea Economic Development Partnership. “Many of the largest employ-ers in the region started as one to two-person ventures.”

That’s inspiring news for Baxter resident, Jay Strangis, whose 25-year career editing magazines such as Petersen’s Bowhunting andWaterfowlwas dealt a major blow when he was laid off in 2007.

Strangis believed that there was room for another magazine in thewaterfowl category and put together a business plan with assistancefrom the Central Lakes Small Business Development Center (SBDC).More than 28 Minnesota SBDC’s and satellite offices help entrepre-neurs develop business plans, access financing, manage businesses anddo reality-checks.

SHE’S GOT IT MAID: Former social worker Sandi Berman now runs herown cleaning service.

More displaced workers arebecoming their own bosses

“Starting a small business is a dream for many people, but few trulycomprehend the courage, time and energy it takes to be successful,” saidSandy Voigt, technology finance officer at the Initiative Foundation. “Werefer at least half of our borrowers to the SBDC’s. They’re outstanding,free resources.”

The SBDC at Central Lakes College (CLC) in Brainerd offersmonthly programs for those who wish to start their own businesses, atrend among dislocated workers with unexpected time to consider theiroptions. The center is now developing a new entrepreneurship programwhere an actual business plan is the capstone of the coursework.

“We know that students come to us for the skills to be employable,”added Rebecca Best, CLC’s dean of workforce, economic and regionaldevelopment. “But for some, the ultimate goal is to own a business andbe the one who hires those employees.”

Today, American Waterfowler is into its second year of productionand growing. “I had managed an art director, editors and ad sales staff,”Strangis said. “Now I’m doing all of them. It’s busy and exhausting, butat the same time I’m in control of everything, and it’s mine.”

In three short years, Sandi Bernard has hired two employees to serveresidential and commercial customers within 30 minutes of St. Cloud.She plans to expand further in the next five years.

Still, learning the entrepreneurial ropes has not been easy. Bernardcontinues to struggle with some details of small business ownership, butshe’s been able to get advice from local programs. “In this business, youcan see the tangible results that I didn’t always get to see in social work,”she said. IQ


Looking to start a business? Visit positivelyminnesota.comto contact Minnesota’s Small Business Development Centers.

Signs of the Times


WINTER 2011 13

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YOUR BRIDGE TO FINANCIAL SUCCESS FOR LIFE


By Elizabeth Foy Larsen | Illustration by Chris McAllister

In a tight economy, even peoplewith secure jobs can’t rest ontheir laurels. “People should be con-stantly asking themselves what skills

they can add to make themselves more attrac-tive to employers, no matter what their level ofeducation,” said Kent Gilmore, chief operat-ing officer of Nahan Printing in St. Cloud.

Being a lifelong learner is not only goodfor your career, it also improves the rest ofyour life. Studies show that taking on newskills and challenges keeps your memorysharp and also increases personal happiness.

All across central Minnesota people aresigning up for language classes, rebootingtheir tech skills, joining intramural sportsleagues and asking their friends to form bookgroups. Want to enroll in your own personaluniversity? Try these tips:

Accept responsibility for your ownlearning. Think of acquiring new skills as avital investment in your future. If your indus-try is abuzz about a certain technology, finda way to learn it, either by signing up for aclass or reading a how-to book or seeking outa mentor.

Research. Monitor trade publications inyour field to keep on top of what’s going to beexpected of you in the short and long term.Use Google Reader or another RSS service tofollow your latest interests and industrytrends. Not sure what that last sentencemeans? Look it up!

Make a “to learn” list. In addition to thosepages and pages of to-dos, keep a running tabof what motivates you and what you’d like tolearn. From bird watching in Texas to makingmaple syrup to learning how to properly oper-

ate your smartphone, write it down. Then reapthe satisfaction when you cross it off your list.

View problems as challenges. Fromchanging a flat tire to retrieving lost emails,refocus a crisis into an opportunity to learnsomething new.

Ask questions. If there’s a skill or career youwant to learn about, find someone who lives itday in and day out. Invite them to meet for cof-fee. Chances are they’ll either offer to help ortell you who can.

Create your own learning toolbox. Puttogether your own personal library of books,technology, classes, mentors, friends, websitesand blogs.

Use technology to your advantage. Youcan find online tutorials on everything fromhow to use Excel to building a fence. Listen toaudio books in the car.

Play. Research show that children’s play solid-ifies learning and brain development. FromScrabble to tennis to an impromptu evening ofdancing in your living room, give yourselfopportunities to relax and let loose.

Get your hands dirty. Reading a bookabout social networking is one thing. Gettingon Facebook and figuring it out for yourselfhelps you integrate that knowledge on a deep-er level.

Mentor others. Research shows that one ofthe best ways to master what you’ve learned isto teach it to others. If you have an area ofexpertise that you’d like to share, consider start-ing a blog dedicated to that topic. IQ


How (andWhy) to be aLifelong Learner

Tear Sheet


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02.IQWinter_16-18,34-39:Layout 1 1/17/11 5:12 PM Page 16

WINTER 2011 17

IIs this a rebound or just a blip?” That’s thequestion Kent Gilmore asks wheneverNahan Printing considers hiring more staffin response to resurgent business. It’s alsoone reason why taking on new full-timeemployees is such a difficult decision for cen-

tral Minnesota employers.

At St. Cloud-based Nahan, where Gilmore ischief operating officer, the family-owned printingcompany shed more than 100 full-time employeesduring the past two years as costs rose and demandbottomed out. Now, according to Gilmore, the com-pany is seeing a rise in catalog orders and feeling cau-tiously optimistic about the future.

Nahan has even made new hires in thelast year. But the overwhelming majorityof those lost jobs aren’t coming back anytime soon. “It’s led to a permanentchange in our business model,” saidGilmore. “Companies can no longerhire for the [economic] peaks. We’ll manfor the valleys and staff up when we haveto. At Nahan, we’ve relied more heavily onseasonal people.”

In an October 2010 presentation entitled“Minnesota Demographics and the ‘New Normal,’”State Demographer Tom Gillaspy highlights thateven though the recession is over, the United Statesprobably won’t reach pre-recession employmentlevels until sometime in 2013.

Jobless Recovery

BY LAWRENCE SCHUMACHERPHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN LINN

THE JOBS OF 2011 & BEYOND

“


18

For the more than seven million unem-ployed nationwide—and nearly 17,000 in cen-tral Minnesota—that’s not encouraging news.It’s taking longer for jobs to come back afterevery recession in the modern era due to increas-es in productivity, said Cameron Macht,Department of Employment and EconomicDevelopment (DEED) regional analyst for cen-tral and southwestern Minnesota.

“Employers looking to expand and hirenew workers have also been limited by tightcredit markets,” said Randy Olson, vicepresident for economic opportunityat the Initiative Foundation.Among central Minnesotabanks, commercial lend-ing has declined about$326 million from June2009 to June 2010,according to Olson.“We anticipate thatthis tightening ofcredit will continue forthe foreseeable future.”

In response, the

Initiative Foundation’s business loan programhas awarded 57 businesses loans over the pastthree years to help employers start up orexpand. Those loans have created or retainedmore than 1,400 jobs, according to WilderResearch. “Our role as a lender is even morecritical to borrowers to sustain existing jobsand create new jobs,” Olson added.

Although the statistics aren’t very encourag-ing, there are jobs to be found in the

new, post-recession economy.From the beginning of

2009 until early 2010, jobpostings for centralMinnesota onMinnesotaWorks.net, thestate’s largest jobsboard, held steady ascautious employersfocused on only the

Green Shoots

Many employers who survived the recessiondid so by becoming as efficient as possible. Nowthat business is picking up, some are stretched thinby the additional work.

It’s a good problem to have, but continuingeconomic uncertainty may make hiring full-timeemployees feel too risky. That has led some compa-nies to seek out new solutions, which are helping togrow their business and the regional economy.

HIRE TEMP WORKERS: Consider professionalstaffing agencies such as Express EmploymentProfessionals to provide temporary or contractworkers.

CONSIDER CONSULTANTS: A growing numberof retired, laid-off or entrepreneurial workers havestarted their own consulting firms or are workingas freelancers. Consultants work on an hourly orproject-based fee but do not get benefits.Information technology (IT), communications, andhuman resources are seeing the greatest increasein the number of consultants and freelancers.

PLUG IN VIRTUAL WORKERS: Hire cost-effectvirtual workers, who use their own computers andstudios. Companies such as Atomic Learning inLittle Falls have expanded in recent years, partly byhiring people who work 90-95 percent from home.

OUTSOURCE: Outsource human resources, salesand advertising, IT and even executive leadership toother companies who offer specialization in thoseareas. Twin Cities-based Ceridian Corporation andDoherty Employer Services specialize in humanresources, payroll, benefits and payment solutions.

TIME-SHARE LEADERSHIP: Share executivesand senior management. New consultingfirms—some staffed by retired or laid-off execu-tives—offer their services to companies whocannot afford to hire a high-level executive in aspecialized discipline.

Wading back in

Five economy-boostingalternatives to full-time hiring.

“It’s led to a permanent change in our business model.Companies can no longer hire for the [economic] peaks.We’ll man for the valleys and staff up when we have to."

Kent Gilmore, Nahan Printing Chief Operating Officer (right) and Nahan employee, Larry Arnold.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 34

Initiative Quarterly Magazine IQmag.org


WINTER 2011 19

Julie Ball spent more than six years varnish-

ing, staining and finishing exterior doors at

Bayer Built Woodworks in Belgrade. The

58-year-old married mother of two planned

on staying with the company until retire-

ment. In January 2010, she was laid off.

Anxious about making ends meet, Ball shadowed thereceptionist at her church, hoping that an administrativeprofession might be an option. Reality hit hard when shewatched the receptionist whiz through the bulletin andnewsletter updates on her computer. Ball had no idea howto format documents, and the only way she knew how tocreate a spreadsheet was with a pencil and a ruler.

Dismayed, Ball visited the Minnesota WorkForceCenter in Alexandria to apply for unemployment, only tolearn that the application was electronic. She left with therealization that if she wanted to survive in a competitivejob market, she needed computer skills.

�

B y s a ra h c o l b u r n

P h o t o g r a p h y b y J o h n L i n n

More jobs require computer skills,

but many Minnesotans still can’tfind the on button.

03.IQWinter_19-21,40-43:Layout 1 1/18/11 10:05 AM Page 19

20

Ball is one of thousands of Minnesota adults,many from the Baby Boomer generation, who needbasic computer training to land even entry-levelemployment. Every day, supervisors at MinnesotaWorkForce Centers encounter job seekers who strug-gle to turn on a computer, log into a system, open filesor click a box using a mouse. Some people even placethe mouse directly on the screen.

Today, technological proficiencies are key tofinding a job that pays a living wage. “Basic comput-ers skills are a necessary part of just about every joband industry in Minnesota, whether it’s in retail,healthcare or any kind of service,” said Kyle Uphoff,the regional analysis and outreach manager at theMinnesota Department of Employment andEconomic Development.

Restaurant waiters use touch screens to enterorders. Bank tellers collect information digitally toprocess transactions. Truck drivers log destinationselectronically. Clinics schedule electronic appoint-ments, verify insurance and track medical records.

Even the automotive industry has gone high-tech. “It used to be that the boys who were goodwith their hands went into automotive, but boythat’s changing,” said Vic Mars, the owner of Vic’sAuto Repair in Brainerd. “Now you need peoplewho are good with their hands and good at config-uring electrical systems.”

According to Mars, mechanics must know how toread wiring schematics and repair computer compo-nents. They also have to be able to search the Internetfor parts and repair advice. Central Lakes College inBrainerd has also required its automotive and dieselmechanic students to have a laptop computer.

Business communications are also undergoing atechnology sea change. Baby Boomers are much morelikely to do business over the telephone or in person,according to Jan Hepola—a business growth advisorat Enterprise Minnesota, an organization that helps

Initiative Quarterly Magazine IQmag.org

The New Basics

REBOOTED: Julie Ball pursued training in Microsoft Office software to staycompetitive in today’s job market.


WINTER 2011 21

manufacturers develop growth strategies. Those inGeneration X and Y, on the other hand, are morelikely to get things done via e-mail or text. Tensionsrise when parties on either side fail to realize theother’s comfort level. “The younger folks don’t needface-to-face interaction to establish trust,” she said.“For Baby Boomers, you’ve got to look somebody inthe eye and shake their hand.”

Unfortunately, digital skills don’t come cheap.While many workforce and basic education centersacross the state offer computer classes to qualifiedrecipients, continuing layoffs are draining thoseprograms’ funding. Thanks to grant funds, theBrainerd center was able to offer computer classesto displaced workers from forestry mainstaysWeyerhaeuser and Potlatch. But for many dis-

placed workers, opportunities remain limited.“There’s still a lack of affordable, basic comput-

er training available in our communities,” said SueHilgart, team leader for the Brainerd WorkForceCenter/Rural Minnesota CEP (MN CEP).

Because these digital deficits aren’t limited toone tier of employees, many community educationoffices and local libraries also try to offer classes to

Expensive Upgrades


“Basic computers skills are a necessary partof just about every job and industry in Minnesota . . .”Kyle Uphoff, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development



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A college diploma once served as a golden ticket, practicallyguaranteeing a good job with a salary to match. Times, and

conventional wisdom, have changed. The jobless rate for collegegraduates under age 25 is twice as high as it was just three yearsago, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The good news? Such sobering numbers have prompted more meaningful con-nections between educators and employers as they invent new ways of training andretraining an increasingly desperate workforce. Since 2009, the Initiative Foundationhas hosted ongoing conversations between central Minnesota’s ten public collegesand universities.

“This group of college presidents has looked at regional economic trends, edu-cation and workforce data in an effort to respond to business needs and get peopleback to work as quickly as possible,” said Kathy Gaalswyk, president of the InitiativeFoundation. “It’s our number-one priority.”

How can educational institutions meet immediate employer needs and teachtimeless skills in an ever-changing job market, often without the benefit of two ormore years of preparation?

“Our responsibility as public institutions is to align our teaching resources withthe needs of our region,” said Dr. Earl Potter, president of St. Cloud State University(SCSU) and Initiative Foundation trustee. “We are deeply engaged in trying to growthe economy of central Minnesota.”

Six educational experiments, transformationsand handshakes that are getting workers back on track.

By Rachel Reabe Nystrom • Photography by John Linn

04.IQWinter_22-25:Layout 1 1/18/11 10:24 AM Page 22

While there are currently more workers thanjobs, about 381,000 Minnesota BabyBoomers will reach the retirement age of 65by 2015. The Minnesota State DemographicCenter has estimated that their entry-levelreplacements (ages 16-24) will only number330,000. That’s 51,000 workers short.

The Brainerd Lakes Chamber is bringingarea high schools and businesses together toplan for future workforce needs and spotlightlocal job opportunities. “We’ve launched a pairof programs to help students prepare for high-demand, high-pay careers,” said Lisa Paxton,CEO of the Brainerd Lakes Chamber. “Wehave a skills gap in rural Minnesota.”

Through the Bridges Career Academies,high school students can get a jumpstart oncollege courses without paying collegetuition. The Workplace Connection programoffers opportunities for students to explorelocal careers through business tours, job-shadowing opportunities and classroomspeakers. Two thousand students from 16school districts attended the 2010 BridgesCareer Exploration Day.

“It was a hands-on experience for the stu-dents,” said Director Mary Gottsch. “Theydidn’t just look at displays; they were operatingequipment and talking to local professionals.”

FIRST CLASS Bridges Career Academies and Workplace Connection, Brainerd

Mary Gottsch, Bridges Career Academy director

WINTER 2011 23

Minnesota boasts a $25 billion dollarmedical devices industry, but until recent-ly, industry executives were frustrated thatthere weren’t enough trained workers tosecure new product approvals and compli-ance standards from the U.S. Food andDrug Administration.

In response to that urgent need, St. CloudState University quickly created a new master’sdegree program in Regulatory Affairs, the firstsuch credential in the U.S.

“The regulation of medical devices likepacemakers, heart valves and defibrillators hasexploded over the last l5 years,” said ChuckSwanson, Ph.D., a 28-year veteran of medicaldevice giant Medtronic who now serves asSCSU’s program director.

Many students, including AnnaEckerman of Maple Grove, already have joboffers in hand. “Having actual instructors who

have been in the trenches is great,” she said.“We get to hear about their firsthand experi-ences with the FDA.”

Eckerman’s rosy employment outlook isnot unusual for graduates of the three-year-oldprogram. Many are already working in themedical device industry and receive tuitionreimbursement from employers anxious fortrained regulators. “They’re a hot commodity,”Swanson said, “even before they graduate.”

Bolstered by the success of the RegulatoryAffairs program, SCSU added a graduatedegree in Applied Clinical Research in 2010.The program teaches students to design, con-duct and evaluate human clinical trials formedical devices. “It’s a growth industry, andyou have to oversee the quality, safety and effi-cacy of the new medical devices,” said Dr.David DeGroote, dean of the SCSUCollege ofScience & Engineering.

CAREERPROGNOSIS Medical Device Graduate Programs, St. Cloud State University

Dr. David DeGroote, dean of theSCSU College of Science & Engineering



When Stefanie Schroeder learned thatAndersen Windows’ extrusion operationin North Branch was urgently seekingspecially trained employees, shebelieved that Pine Technical Collegecould play a role in getting people backto work.

“With the housing and commercialbuilding crash, we had many constructionworkers out of jobs,” said Schroeder, PineTechnical College’s director of strategic ini-tiatives. Not only did the college have cus-tomized training funds, but the area also hada high number of potential employees.

Within six weeks, Pine Tech developedan 80-hour course to train workers how tooperate plastics extrusion machinery. All 30students, ranging in age from 27 to 55, wereunemployed and desperate for work. Theyincluded former plumber, Brad Ferguson,whose wife had also lost her job in the mort-gage industry.

Ferguson completed the training pro-gram and was quickly hired by AndersenWindows. “Now I have a steady paycheckand good benefits,” he said, “and the bestpart is that I know my work schedule for thenext year.”

WINDOW COVERING Pine Technical College, Pine City

Stefanie Schroeder, Pine Technical College director of strategic initiatives

Created by a team of educators who saw amarket opportunity in ensuring that teach-ers could stay ahead of their techno-savvystudents, Little Falls-based AtomicLearning provides a digital library of50,000 brief tutorials and project-basedlesson plans.

A teacher’s main challenge, accordingto Meyer, is that he or she is responsible forteaching students who are often more com-fortable with technology than adults.Atomic Learning’s most requested onlinetutorials include Excel, Microsoft Word,Photoshop and iMovie.

“Students are digital natives,” said DanMeyer, Atomic Learning CEO and a formerbusiness teacher. “They pick up a device andfigure it out, but teachers still have to preparestudents for the workforce.

“With new software being constantlyintroduced and updated, teachers don’t needto know everything, but they have to knowhow to access and apply the information,” headded. “They don’t have time to take a classor read complicated manuals.”

The company serves more than 12,000U.S. school districts and institutions in 40countries.

TEACHINGTHE TEACHER Atomic Learning, Little Falls

Dan Meyer, Atomic Learning CEO


When central Minnesota healthcareemployers expressed a need for medicalassistants in 2009, Central LakesCollege responded—in a flash.

By 2010, the college developed a quali-ty diploma program at their Staples campus,and Jill Dumpprope was in the first class ofmedical assistants. A former paralegal fromMotley, she was attracted to the hands-onnature of being a medical assistant.

The nine-month program—followedby a seven-week internship and a nationalcertification exam—filled so quickly thatthe college had to create a waiting list.

Dumpprope, whose enthusiasm andsuccess convinced her sister-in-law to fol-low in her footsteps, was recently hired byEssentia Health in Brainerd. It’s just one ofmany examples of how higher education isquickly adapting traditional curriculum tomeet employer needs in central Minnesota.

Central Lakes College, Staples

Dawn Michel, CLC medical assistant student

In a land of lakes, resorts and secondhomes, there’s no shortage of demand forpeople who can fix lawnmowers, boatmotors, snowmobiles and motorcycles.

A partnership between manufacturinggiant, Briggs & Stratton, and AlexandriaTechnical & Community College is trainingworkers in these sought-after skills. In the lastten years, Briggs & Stratton has donated theirexcess inventory—roughly 4,000 newengines—to the school’s Marine & SmallEngine program.

In addition to using the engines intheir classrooms, the college distributesthem to Minnesota high schools that arestruggling to provide vocational electives.

“We offered the new engines along witha brief summer training program for high

school teachers and it was an instant suc-cess,” said Mark Lindemann, an instructor atthe college. “It has re-energized vocationalteachers in about one-hundred high schools.”

That outreach has also provided asteady stream of applicants to the AlexandriaTech program. The two-year course fillseach year with a waiting list, primarilybecause every graduate from the past decadehas landed a job.

Kyle Jochman, a 2005 graduate, openeda marine repair shop in his parents’ garagenear Cold Spring. “I did some advertising,and the business exploded,” he said. Fiveyears later, he has a much bigger facility andtop-notch mechanics. Not surprisingly, heprefers those who graduated fromAlexandria Tech.

ECONOMIC ENGINES Marine & Small Engine Mechanic Program,Alexandria Technical & Community College

Mark Lindemann, Alexandria Tech instructor

WINTER 2011 25

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In the 21st Century jobmarket of ever-morphingpositions and technology, gauging three simpleskills can save time and money on hiringdecisions. The bottom line? It’s not about whatapplicants know at the time of the job interview.It’s about discerning whether they can learn,find and solve.


WINTER 2011 27



Wehave to invest time in teaching peoplehow to learn, lead and solveproblems instead of just showing themhow to operate a single machine thatmight be obsolete in a few years.—Kathy Zavala� Executive Director, Stearns-Benton Employment & Training Council

For employers, choosing a future employee from astack of resumes can feel like a trip to the casino, placing atall stack of chips on a diploma or past experience and thenspinning the wheel. Losing the bet can set a business backfor months or even years.

Before the recession, a shallow labor pool meant thatbusinesses bore the risk involved in hiring decisions. “In thepast, we just interviewed people and off to work they went,”said George Wilkes, a vice president and general managerat printing giant Quad Graphics in St. Cloud. “We didn’thave great ways of testing them to say they would be suc-cessful in that position or in a promoted position.”

Today, more and more companies are looking for indi-viduals with specific skill sets and don’t want to take hiringchances. Job seekers want to be able to prove their compe-tency so that they can rise to the top of callback lists.

“The belief in the workforce development field is thatwe’re training people for careers and technologies that don’teven exist yet,” said Kathy Zavala, executive director of theStearns-Benton Employment & Training Council. “Thatmeans we have to invest time in teaching people how tolearn, lead and solve problems instead of just showing themhow to operate a single machine that might be obsolete ina few years.”

That’s why a new accreditation, called the NationalCareer Readiness Certificate (NCRC), is gaining tractionwith employers across the country, including E. & J. GalloWinery, BMW and Subaru. Created by testing behemothACT, Inc., the certificate program offers workers—fromcustodians to aerospace engineers—an opportunity to provethat they possess essential skills that transcend industries.

“”


WINTER 2011 29

ticket

The NCRC assesses three skills that are consideredcrucial to today’s job market: Applied Mathematics,Locating Information, and Reading for Information.Workers may choose to take proctored examinations tomeasure their proficiencies in these skills. They can earnnationally recognized certificates from bronze to platinum,which are ranked for virtually every job in the U.S.

“This is a way to identify the people with those skillsand to bridge the gap between unemployment and theopenings that do exist,” said Katie Wacker, media relationsrepresentative for ACT.

TEAM NCRC: Central Minn. Jobs and Training Services CEOBarb Chaffee (above) and Rural Minn. CEP director DanWenner joined forces with Zavala and the InitiativeFoundation to improve hiring in central Minnesota.


The National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) is a credentialthat assesses three skills crucial to today’s job market: AppliedMathematics, Locating Information and Reading for Information.

Applicants are tested and graded on a scale of 3 to 7 in each skill.A Bronze verifies that the certificate holder has scored at least alevel 3 in each of the core areas. Silver equals a score of at least alevel 4 in each area. A Gold certificate requires a score of 5 andabove. Platinum certificates indicate a score of level 6 or 7.

Not only does the NCRC allow job seekers to prove they’ve gotwhat it takes, it also helps employers hire and promote skilledemployees. Below are a few jobs that require high proficiencies ineach of the three skills.

Applied Mathematics

Accountants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PLATINUMCommercial Designer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . GOLDElectrical Engineer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . GOLDElectrical Power-Line Installer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SILVERMedical Lab Technician . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . GOLDTool and Die Maker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . GOLD

Reading for Information

Database Administrator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PLATINUMLoan Officer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PLATINUMNurse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SILVERSales Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PLATINUMSemiconductor Processor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . GOLDTravel Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . GOLD

Locating Information

Cabinet Maker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SILVERFlight Attendant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . GOLDPharmacy Technician. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . GOLDPlumber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . GOLDPress Operator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SILVERTechnical Writer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PLATINUM

For a more complete list of careers and certification levels,visit www.act.org/workkeys/skillsearch.html.

Reprinted by permission of ACT, Inc.

that’s the



Locating Information

take thetestHow do your skills rate on the NCRC?The NCRC exams include real world questions meant to test what an employee might encounter on the job.Test takers are given a ranking on each test: 3 is a bronze, 4 a silver, 5 a gold, and 6 or above is a platinum.The overall certificate level is the lowest score obtained on the three assessments.

Here are examples of questions in each of the three assessments.

Reading for InformationLevel 3

ATTENTION CASHIERS:

All store employees will now get 20% off the price of clothes they buy here.Please follow the new directions listed below.

Selling clothes to employeesAsk to see the employee’s store identification card.Enter the employee’s department code number into the cash register.Use the cash register to take 20% off the price. Then push the sales tax button.Write your initials on the sales receipt.Sell clothes to employees during store hours only.

Accepting clothing returns from employeesEmployees receive a store credit certificate for clothes they return to the store.Store credit certificates are next to the gift certificates.Employees may not get a cash refund for clothes they return to the store.

You are a cashier. According to the notice shown,what should you write on a store employee’s receipt?

A. The employee’s identification number

B. The employee’s department number

C. The amount of sales tax

D. The 20% discount price

E. Your initials

Level 5

Goldberg’s Auto Parts is served by more than fifty different accounts, each withits own sales representative, company name, corporate address, and shippingaddress. As a shipping and receiving clerk at Goldberg’s, you are required toreturn defective merchandise to the manufacturer.

Standard procedure for returning an item begins with your written request to thecompany for authorization. Always send the request to the corporate address,not to the shipping address. Unless the company file folder contains a form forthis procedure, write a business letter to the manufacturer supplying the item’sstock number, cost, and invoice number; the date it was received; and the reasonfor its return. The manufacturer’s reply will include an authorization number fromthe sales representative, a sticker for you to place on the outside of the box toidentify it as an authorized return, and a closing date for the company’s accept-ance of the returned item. If you do not attach the provided sticker, yourreturned box will be refused by the manufacturer as unauthorized, and you willneed to obtain a new letter, authorization, sticker, and closing date. Always senda returned box to the shipping address, not to the company’s corporate address.

According to the policy shown, what should you do if you lose anauthorization sticker?

A. Send a request for a return authorization along with the rejectedpart directly to the manufacturer’s shipping address.

B. Send a request for return authorization along with the rejected partdirectly to the manufacturer’s corporate address.

C. Repeat the standard procedure to obtain a new letter, authorization,sticker, and closing date.

D. Use a sticker from another company’s folder.

E. Send the rejected part to your sales representative.

Answer:B

Applied MathematicsLevel 3

In your job as a cashier, a customer gives you a $20bill to pay for a can of coffee that costs $3.84. Howmuch change should you give back?

A. $15.26 B. $16.16 C. $16.26

D. $16.84 E. $17.16

Level 7

The farm where you just started working has a ver-tical cylindrical oil tank that is 2.5 feet across on theinside. The depth of the oil in the tank is 2 feet. If 1cubic foot of space holds 7.48 gallons, about howmany gallons of oil are left in the tank?

A. 37 B. 59 C. 73 D. 230 E. 294

Answer:CAnswer:B Answer:A

Answer:E Answer:C

Level 3

You regularly check the pressure gauge on a largetank. According to the gauge shown, what is thecurrent pressure (in PSI)?

A. 30 B. 35 C. 40 D. 45 E. 100

As an airplane pilot, you need to determine thecrosswind component of the wind speed to ensuresafe takeoffs and landings. According to the graphshown, if the reported wind speed is 45 knots at a20° angle, what is the crosswind component, inknots?

A. 15 B. 25 C. 43 D. 45 E. 65

Reprinted by permission of ACT, Inc.

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WINTER 2011 31

We can make that retraining lessexpensive and quicker for people,as well as more focused on the skillsneeded in the workforce.— Craig Nathan � Operations Manager, RMCEP’s Brainerd WorkForce Center

“”

NCRC can be used in hiring for virtually any posi-tion, from CEO to an entry-level job in computer pro-gramming, construction or retail. The assessments areparticularly useful for the growing population of middle-aged job-seekers who may not have the flexibility to goback to school and obtain a new skill set. “We can makethat retraining less expensive and quicker for people, aswell as more focused on the skills needed in the work-force,” said Craig Nathan operations manager ofRMCEP’s Brainerd WorkForce Center.

As the NCRC gained steam in other parts of thecountry—Michigan and Alaska have taken steps to testall high school juniors—a recent $50,000 grant from theInitiative Foundation to Stearns Benton Employmentand Training Council, Rural Minnesota ConcentratedEmployment Program, and Central Minnesota Jobs andTraining Services has set the stage for NCRC to improvehiring in central Minnesota.



FACT FINDERS: Highly skilled press operators at Range Printing inBrainerd need to be able to locate information quickly to keep equipmentrunning at peak performance.

Locating InformationWhether it’s an invoice or pay stub, the documents and instruc-

tions encountered in the working world require a certain aptitude tofind relevant information. “Workers need to be able to quickly locateinformation and apply it to develop solutions for employers and cus-tomers,” said Nathan.

At Quad Graphics in St. Cloud, the ability to locate information isimportant for printing press operators. When the equipment fails orrequires adjustments, press operators are expected to be able to find theinformation required to fix the issue.

“If you are running one of our presses in that First Operator Position,you need to take a set of job instructions and know what to do,” saidWilkes. “When you’re troubleshooting on a press, you have to be able tomake deductions about what the problem is.”Whether it is in a print man-ual or on a computer screen, print industry employees are required to knowwhere and how to find the necessary information to get the machine upand running.

The Locating Information assessment tests people on their abilitiesto understand workplace graphics, including purchase orders. Test takersare asked to find information within the graphic or place the correct infor-mation into the graphic. As the test gets more difficult, questions compareinformation on multiple graphics and require the ability to sort throughdistracting facts and figures.

At Range Printing in Brainerd, President Shawn Sundquist said thathighly skilled press operators are under pressure to keep equipment opera-tional and running at peak performance. Every mechanical part of a print-ing press must be finely tuned to print tiny dots of ink with near-micro-scopic precision. Extended downtime often results in lost revenue ormissed deadlines.

“There is no way for any employee to immediately know the answerto every potential problem, but they have to know how to find it,”Sundquist added. “That’s the prized skill that’s very hard to discern in ajob interview.”

Applied MathematicsFrom balancing a cash register to complex engineering, most jobs

involve numbers and calculations.“Almost every job in our company requires some level of math skills,”

said Dave Gruenes, district manager of Stearns Electric Association inMelrose, “whether you’re taking payments, doing accounting, or measuringfor a new service installation.”

NCRC’s Applied Mathematics assessment tests workers on mathe-matical reasoning, critical thinking, and problem-solving techniques that areencountered in the workplace.

The lowest level math questions test individuals on problems like con-verting hours to minutes and changing percentages. The next level assessesmultiplication of negative numbers and calculating percent discounts ormarkups. The most advanced level requires job seekers to find the areas ofbasic shapes and choose the best financial deal from several choices.

Although the most advanced math skills might not be required ofeveryone working for Stearns Electric, electrical engineer Tim Weir is theirresident math whiz. “When you get into the engineering, the math gets quitecomplex. You’re using algebraic equations, geometry and beyond,” saidGruenes. “Employees like Tim are responsible for our poles, wires, trans-formers, and the equipment placed outside homes and business. They haveto forecast rates, load factors, and look at motor sizes and translate it intoelectrical uses.”

The exam problems are computations all of us encounter in every-day life. Test-takers are allowed calculators and given formula sheetswith conversions such as inches to feet or ounces to cups. The testemphasizes the importance of problem solving skills over memorizationor random knowledge.

BY THE NUMBERS: Electrical engineer Tim Weir uses algebraicequations, geometry and advanced computation skills in his work atStearns Electric.


WINTER 2011 33

VITAL SIGNS: Nurse Joanie Miller uses her reading skills to accuratelyadminister medication, maintain patient charts and follow procedures.

Reading for InformationFrom teaching to bartending to life-or-death situations,

reading for information is a necessary workplace skill.“Our nurses’ entire days are spent reading information, said Dave

Waage, director of employment at CentraCare Health System. “Theyaccess and update constantly changing data, document charts, interact withpatients, and educate patients. It’s a highly critical skill.”

The Reading for Information assessment presents test-takers withdocuments such as memos, letters, directions, and bulletins to determinethe level of skill an individual uses when examining a written text.

Joanie Miller, a nurse at the CentraCare Heath System–LongPrairie, is charged with processing information that comes her way ona daily basis. “Reading for information is important when it comes tomedications, charts, policies, and procedures,” said Waage. “Theirwhole job revolves around patient care and the flow of informationboth to and from patients and to and from providers. They are the eyesand ears of the patients.”

Moving Forward

While the WorkForce centers agree that NCRCtesting isn’t the only way to place the right people inthe right positions, it’s an effective tool that willhopefully get people back to work. “It’s one piece ofdata for employers to look at,” said Kathy Zavala,executive director of SBETC. “When someoneapplies to a job and presents this certificate, theemployer knows this person knows how to learnand has an essential set of skills.”

The National Manufacturers Association andthe National Center for Construction Educationand Research are also embracing the NCRC. Bothorganizations have endorsed the assessments in aneffort to identify a more qualified workforce and tohelp others who have fallen behind get up to speed.For the first time, employers have a credential thatmeans the same thing across the U.S.

“It’s hard to worry about the other elements ofa healthy community when so many people aren’tworking,” said Initiative Foundation senior programmanager, Don Hickman.

“Our overall intention was to support a toolthat will assist unemployed workers to either mar-ket the skills they have or identify the skills theyneed to improve,” said Hickman. “The hope in2011 is that employers take a second look at appli-cants with NCRC certificates and recognize thatthese workers give them the best chance to growtheir businesses.” IQ

For more information, contact:www.positivelyminnesota.com/JobSeekers/WorkForce_Centers



Who’s hiring who? CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18

most essential hiring in most industries.Job postings for the third quarter of

2010, however, are up 83.5 percent in theregion compared to a year ago, indicat-ing that there might finally be somegood news.

Almost half of those jobs are inemployment categories that include tem-porary and administrative support staffingservices, indicating that employers are stillreluctant to take on new full-time employees.

Uncertainty over health care reform and itscosts, unemployment taxes and government uncer-tainty may be giving cautious employers reason to pausebefore hiring, according to Tim Zipoy, workforce develop-ment advisor for Central Minnesota Jobs & TrainingServices in Monticello. And the state’s sickly housing mar-ket means the construction industry and related manufac-turing industries will continue to struggle for some time.

Technology and efficiency gains from companies“going lean” during the recession have allowed employ-ers to get back to pre-recession output without pre-

recession staffing, said Zipoy. “Most manufacturersthat survived the recession are now very stable,”he said. “But they’re not looking for more work-ers, necessarily.”

Where are the jobs now? Where will they be in thenext year?Throughout the recession, only three employment

sectors in central Minnesota managed not to lose jobsoverall—health care and social assistance, public administra-

tion and company and enterprise management.When the new Riverside Assisted Living facility in Pillager was

under construction, all Paula Rocheleau had to do was put a sign outfront of the building saying “Now Hiring” and the applicants camepouring in. The CEO of Pierz-based Partner Senior Living Optionssaid the company has hired 13 employees so far with three or fourmore starting soon. Most are entry-level home health aides that earn$9.50 an hour to start, but the staff also includes a manager andlicensed practical nurse.

The new facility—which received financial support from the

Jobs Now and Coming


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First Quarter 2008—First Quarter 2010

Resilient/Growing IndustriesIndustry # Jobs 2008 # Jobs 2010 Change % ChangeHealth Care and Social Assistance 42,676 44,622 1,946 4.60%Management of Companies and Enterprises 1,156 1,280 124 10.70%Public Administration 13,903 14,064 161 1.20%Educational Services 26,588 26,537 -51 -0.20%

Recession-Impacted IndustriesIndustry # Jobs 2008 # Jobs 2010 Change % ChangeManufacturing 37,041 30,066 -6,975 -18.80%Construction 12,774 9,562 -3,212 -25.10%Retail Trade 36,605 34,041 -2,564 -7.00%Accommodation and Food Services 22,998 20,944 -2,054 -8.90%Wholesale Trade 9,193 7,967 -1,226 -13.30%

Where the Jobs Are (and Aren’t) in Central Minnesota

Source: DEED Quarterly Census of Employment andWages Program


The Friends of Nisswa Lake Park are raising funds to build the infrastructure for our lakeside park on Nisswa Lakein the City of Nisswa.

• 2.3 Acre Park Area• Located across 371 from Downtown Nisswa Square• Swimming Area• Fishing Pier• Boat Slips for Boat Docking• Walking & Biking Trail connecting to thePaul Bunyan Trail

• Pavilion area for weddings and special events• Mature White Pines• Picnic area• Beautiful Sunsets• Overlooking Nisswa Lake

For more information contact the Friends of Nisswa Lake Park [email protected]; or contact Brian Lehman, Nisswa Mayor, 218-838-4158;Erin Herman, Nisswa Elementary School Principal, 218-821-3760; Eric Wiltrout, Lakewood

Bank, 218-892-0532; or Jan Pierce, Nisswa P&Z Commission, 218-963-7394.

Checks should be made payable to “BLA Community Foundation” witha notation of “Friends of Nisswa Lake Park.”

Send your tax-deductible donation to The Friends of Nisswa Lake Park,PO Box 262, Nisswa MN 56468. Leaving a Legacy for Future Generation

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WINTER 2011 37

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Initiative Foundation through its business loanprogram—will employ 25 to 30 people whenfully staffed.

More than 2,000 new jobs in health careand social assistance have been created in the lasttwo years, both in relatively low-skill health caresupport jobs such as certified nursing assistantsand high-skill health care practitioner jobs suchas radiological technicians.

The administrative support sector, whichincludes temporary staffing services, accountedfor 44 percent of the recent job postings onMinnesotaWorks.net.

Companies are looking to staffing agenciesfor everything from day labor to executive-levelservices. “It’s not just entry-level positions,” saidJill Magelssen, the St. Cloud franchise owner ofExpress Employment Professionals. “Anincreasing number of companies are looking formore professional-level staff for short or long-term projects, or on a temp-to-hire basis.”

But what are the permanent jobs that are


“A lot of Baby Boomers areputting off their retirementbecause of the economy . . .we’ll go from a surplusto a shortage in a prettyquick space if they all retireat once.”

Wayne Anderson,DEED business services specialist

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in demand across the region? According toMacht, they include: low-skill retail and foodservice jobs, low-skill health care support jobs,high-skill health care practitioner jobs, andother high-skill jobs such as computer numeri-cal controlled (CNC) machine tool operators,truck drivers, electrical power line installationand repair specialists and machinery mechanics.

Predicting what will happen to the job marketmore than a year into the future is a guessinggame, but one fact is indisputable: beyond thecurrent labor surplus looms an even larger laborshortage. “That’s actually where my big concernis,” said Wayne Anderson, DEED businessservices specialist. “A lot of Baby Boomers areputting off their retirement because of the econ-omy. There’s a logjam right now but we’ll gofrom a surplus to a shortage in a pretty quickspace if they all retire at once.”

The results—an increasing demand forhealthcare workers who specialize in aging, andplenty of open jobs in all industries for peoplewith specialized skills. Still, Anderson worriesthat there is currently not enough emphasis onworkforce development. Waiting lists at localWorkForce centers for displaced workers inneed of retraining are long because there’s notenough money to retrain them.

No matter what, workers today—bothwith and without jobs—have to not onlyrefresh their skills but also flex their network-ing muscles.When former Bernick’s Pepsi salesrepresentative SteveTodd saw his job evaporateafter 13 years working for the company, hewent back to school, attended resume work-shops and worked side jobs.

After nearly two years of unemployment,Todd’s connections in the industry helped himland a new job in October 2010 at MinnesotaGold Meats—one week after his final unem-ployment extension expired. He considers him-self lucky. “I took about a 15 percent pay cut,”he said. “But you hear horror stories about peo-ple taking 50-60 percent pay cuts.” IQ

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the general public. “We’re seeing blue collar,white collar, management,” said LindaFischer, of the Stearns-Benton Employmentand Training Council (SBETC). Fischer andSBETC executive director Kathy Zavala,agree that employees need to take it uponthemselves to upgrade their skills. “It is ourresponsibility to remain employable,” saidZavala.

Minnesota nonprofits are working tobridge the digital divide. The BlandinFoundation is working to expand broadbandInternet access to rural areas and also providesdigital literacy skills training.

“People are fearful of their lack of knowl-edge; they’re ashamed they don’t know how touse a computer,” said Bill Coleman, presidentof Community Technology Advisors, a firmcontracted by Blandin to help communitiesmake the connection between telecommuni-cations and economic development. “We needto offer people a comfortable, non-threaten-ing environment to learn these skills.”

That’s what made the difference for Julie

DIGITAL DIVIDE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21

Rebooting


STEVE ENNISDirector of Mortgage Banking

[email protected] | lakewoodbank.com

JAN HEPOLA: “The younger folks don’t needface-to-face interaction to establish trust. ForBaby Boomers, you’ve got to look somebody inthe eye and shake their hand.”


WINTER 2011 41

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DIGITAL DIVIDE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 40

Power PointsBefore you send out that resume,master these digital skills.

> Keyboarding.

> Operating Microsoft Windows.

> Using the Internet to quickly accessjob-related information.

> E-mail. Know how to create cohesive sen-tences, spell properly and understand thenuances of e-mail etiquette and security.

> Creating, saving and retrieving documents.

> Attaching a document or photograph toan e-mail.

> Understanding when and when not to useelectronic communication.

> PowerPoint, if the job requires you to makeany type of presentation.

> Using a laptop. Many companies aremoving away from PC work stations.

> Texting and the various functions of themobile phone.

Lakeshore Conservation Club is the Brainerd Lakes Area choice for Trap & Skeet Shooting.

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Ball. When she was struggling to navigate thenew world of texting and emailing, she con-sidered enrolling in a college-level computerclass. Unfortunately, it was too expensive.

The Alexandria Workforce Centerreferred Ball to the Alexandria Area AdultBasic Education Consortium (ABE). InMarch, she began taking self-led computerclasses at the ABE offices. She refreshed herknowledge of the parts of a computer andquickly progressed to Microsoft Word, Excel,Access and PowerPoint.

With those basics under her belt, Ballenrolled in a four-week computer and literacyskills summer class offered by AlexandriaTechnical & Community College and ABE.There, she learned how to write a resume andcover letter and prepare for an interview.

Those eight months of training wererough, but worth it. “I really feel I am some-body now, “she said. “Now, there are endlessthings I can do.” IQ


WINTER 2011 43

Join us in celebrating the Spirit of the Horse. It’s a free and full day of demonstrations, information, vendors and fun, as well as a Tack Swap to buy or sell tack or other equipment.

Winter Gala & Tack SwapSaturday, January 2910 am – 4 pm

Tack Swap 9 am – 3 pm

Toni Wasilensky is our on-site professional trainer and instructor, specializing in dressage.

Speaker Joyce Leake

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“They’re Talking, Are You Listening?”

Saturday and Sunday, January 29-30

Visit our Web site for details.

www.SpiritHorseCenterInc.com(218) 825-4944

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Central Regional SustainableDevelopment Partnership

Fostering regional resilience throughcitizen-driven University partnerships

Empowering

Serving Central Minnesota www.regionalpartnerships.umn.edu

Central

Agriculture & food systemsPine & Lake Country Local Foods Working Group: citizens& organizations increasing access to locally grown foods& providing information about the value of local foods

Community-based energyPark Rapids Wind Energy Project: collaborating with multiplecommunity & University groups resulted in installation of awind turbine at school, providing energy & an educational tool

Natural resourcesPine River Watershed Project: Central Minnesota citizensconnecting with University faculty, identifying sources ofphosphorus into the Pine River and White�sh chain

TourismScenic Byway Economic Project: Two byways–LakeCountry & Paul Bunyan–partnering with University &

community groups, evaluating social & economic bene�ts

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WINTER 2011 45

Phone: [email protected]

Lakes Area Habitat for Humanity and Lakes Area Habitat for Humanity ReStore

will relocate in January, 2011 to 1110 Wright Street in Brainerd

(Across from the Brainerd Armory in the old Lindy Manufacturing building)

Watch for our opening in 2011

ReStore hours after move: Wed-Fri 9:30am-5:30pm;

Sat 9:30am-1:00pm

Phone: 218-454-8517

Building Houses, Building Hope in

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As the nation’s largest not-for-profit provider of senior care and services we have had a lot of experience helping people find the best solutions to fit their needs. For more information, call one of our Good Samaritan Society communities below.

Bethany • (218) 829-1407Woodland • (218) 829-1429Pine River • (218) 587-4433

Home Care and Hospice • (218) 963-9453

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IQ: Which job skills should everyone make sure theypossess?

TS: Knowing how to learn is going to be important. The jobs thatrequire on-the-spot decision making or an ability to makeadjustments will have the largest demand. But transformation-al jobs—such as jobs that turn iron into steel and steel into cars—willbe less available. If you think that kind of job will be there for you in thefuture, you will be in for an unpleasant surprise.

TG:Transactional jobs—such as the check-out person at Walmart—arerelatively easy to computerize and mechanize. But jobs that requiredecision-making or critical thinking are not, and that’s where thegrowth in jobs is.

IQ: Both of you talk about the importance of under-standing and accepting the “new normal.” What kindof attitude shift do workers need to make?

TS: I think they need to recognize that pro-ductivity is going to be the most impor-tant factor in their employability.That doesn’t only mean makingmore things per hour, but alsomaking things of better quality.

TG: If you can accept thatthe world has changed,you can begin to look forthe opportunities. Someof the biggest corporationshave seen their walls signifi-cantly weakened.That opensup the opportunity for morestart-ups. There is great pres-sure to come up with newinnovations. If you look for theopportunities, I think you’ll doreally well.

IQ:Howwill theMinnesota workforce transform itselfin the next five years?

TS: Minnesota lost 154,000 jobs between 2007 and2009.We’ve gotten a third back, which leaves us with102,000 to go. We’re thinking that job growth willbe 30,000 to 40,000 jobs in 2011. The job marketrecovery will be an uncomfortably slow process.

We will also get older and more diverse. Andif we are not careful, we’ll be a little less skilled.Looking out ten years from now, one of

the challenges will be the mature worker, people who areapproaching retirement age.We need to make sure we retain themas long as they want to work.

TG:The biggest change we are going to see is the aging of the boomergeneration and the waves of retirements. Those will start in later 2011.We will also see fewer young people enter the workforce; the highschool graduation class of 2009 was the largest we’ll see in a decade. InMinnesota, we need about 35,000 jobs a year to stay even with the nat-ural growth of the work force. With fewer young people coming in andmore old people leaving, all of this has economic implications.

The jobs that will be open will be jobs with very specific skills.Thereseems to be a growing skills gap in terms of what employers want and theskills workers have. That gap will become more obvious.

IQ: How have the past few years changed yourthinking about education?

TS: Given how technology evolves so quickly, we have tomake sure that people who are already working are upgrad-ing their skills. It’s a tricky problem because part of thatresponsibility falls on the individual, part on the employ-er, and part on the public sector. How the public sectorengages with this is going to be a crucial issue.

TG:We need to teach children logic, creativethinking and critical thinking, which to a largeextent we aren’t doing.

IQ gazes into the crystal ball with “The Tom & Tom Show”—Minnesota State DemographerTom Gillaspy and State Economist Tom Stinson.

An IQ&A with Elizabeth Foy Larsen, Managing Editor



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IQ Magazine - Winter 2011

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