PRESS RELEASE: 2024 Best Places to Work WINNERS!

Workforce Development, Inc. (WDI) is thrilled to announce the unveiling of the “Best Places to Work” in Southeast Minnesota for the year 2024, and our 14th year bringing the survey to the area. As the region’s leading advocate for workforce development and engagement, WDI takes pride in spotlighting organizations that prioritize employee satisfaction, well-being, and professional growth.

After a rigorous evaluation process, seventeen outstanding companies have emerged as the cream-of-the-crop, representing the counties of Winona, Freeborn, Mower, Rice, Steele, Goodhue, Olmsted, Houston, Dodge, Fillmore, and Wabasha. These companies have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to fostering positive work environments, nurturing talent, and driving innovation. The 2024 Best Places to Work Winners include:

Small Employer
(Under 50 Employees)
Southeast Service Cooperative
Peterson, Kolker, Haedt & Benda, Ltd.
IBI Data
Southern MN Municipal Power Agency
Arcadian Bank
Mid-Size Employer
(50-150 employees)
Albert Lea Seed House
People’s Energy Cooperative
Custom Alarm
K&G Manufacturing
Cooperative Response Center, Inc.
Large Employer
(Over 150 employees)
Gemini, Inc.
Knutson Construction
Olmsted County
Riverland Community College
Benike Construction

To celebrate their achievements and the collective dedication to workforce development in Southeast Minnesota, Workforce Development Inc. invites the community to join us at the 2024 Workforce Development Forum celebration scheduled for Thursday, April 25th at the Rochester International Event Center. This event promises to be an inspiring gathering of industry leaders, stakeholders, and professionals committed to shaping the future of the region’s workforce and sharing their best practices.

Don’t miss this opportunity to celebrate excellence and be part of the conversation that drives innovation, growth, and prosperity in Southeast Minnesota. For questions about the 2024 Workforce Development Forum, contact Samantha Draisey at sdraisey@wdimn.org or register through this link!

A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR 2024 FORUM SPONSORS:

Workforce Development, Inc. (WDI) is an independent, non-profit agency with a long history of serving the needs of career seekers and employers in Southeast Minnesota. Reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities provided, upon request, by calling 507.292.5152 or by using your preferred relay service. Workforce Development, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Program Provider and a proud partner of the American Job Center Network.

FOR PUBLIC COMMENT: 2024 WIOA PLAN DRAFT

April 2, 2024
Updated May 1, 2024

CLICK HERE: https://workforcedevelopmentinc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/WIOA-State-Regional-Local-Plan-Guidance-WDI-Final-DRAFT-5.1.2024.pdf

At this time, Workforce Development, Inc. and the Workforce Development Board of Southeast Minnesota would like to welcome the public in providing feedback for the proposed WIOA (Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act) Regional and Local Workforce Development Area 8 plans spanning 2024-2027.

This federally-required planning document aims to address the diverse needs of our community, and is revisited every 3 years. As a nonprofit organization committed to enhancing workforce development, we value your input in shaping effective strategies that will empower individuals and strengthen our local economy. Your comments are invaluable in ensuring that our plan reflects the aspirations and concerns of the community we serve.

Please take this opportunity to share your thoughts, suggestions, and insights via email to Jinny Rietmann, Executive Director, at jrietmann@wdimn.org or in writing to the mailing address below.

Together, we can create a plan that fosters innovation and inclusivity for all. Thank you for your participation in this important process. 

FOR MAILING:
Workforce Development, Inc.
Attn: Public Comment
2070 College View Road SE
Rochester, MN 55904

PRESS RELEASE: 2024 Workforce Development Forum

Workforce Development, Inc., The SE Minnesota Workforce Development Board, Winona Workforce Development Board, CareerForce and the Rochester Area of Chamber of Commerce Present the 2024 Workforce Development Forum

Rochester, MN – Workforce Development, Inc., the Southeast Minnesota Workforce Development Board, along with CareerForce, Winona Workforce Development Board, and the Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce, are hosting the 2024 Workforce Development Forum, taking place on Thursday, April 25, 2024, at the Rochester International Event Center. This exciting event will feature keynote speaker Gerry Hoeffner, President of Personnel Dynamics Consulting Group and the Best Places to Work program.

The Workforce Development Forum of Southeast Minnesota will be a combined event with the SE Minnesota Best Places to Work celebration; join us as we explore ways to build, invigorate, and invest in workforce development and the Southeast Minnesota regional economy. An employer panel will also be hosted during the event, where we will hear from local employers and discuss their best practices.

Date: Thursday, April 25, 2024

Time: 11:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Location: Rochester Event Center, 7333 Airport View Dr. SW, Rochester, MN 55902

Registration: $25 per person or $175 for a table of eight (8), open to all employers and public.

Register via Eventbrite.

Sponsorship opportunities available! Click the registration link or contact Samantha Draisey at sdraisey@wdimn.org or 507.292.6524 to inquire.

PRESS RELEASE: 2024 Best Places to Work Applications now available!

For the FOURTEENTH year in a row, Workforce Development, Inc. is connecting with Personnel Dynamics Consulting, Inc. to bring the nationally-recognized “Best Places To Work” program back to Southeast Minnesota!

The FREE “Best Places To Work” program is an exciting way to help employers identify what is required to attract and retain their best employees. This program is designed to:

  • Identify the “Best Places To Work” within our region
  • Educate employers on the best ways to recruit and retain employees
  • Collect important employment data from our region
  • Promote workforce issues
  • Market professional workforce associations
  • Energize business and community leaders

Any organization who completes the online survey will receive a free customized report detailing exactly how you compete with other employers in the community. The report reviews 37 different employment measurements and highlights Best Practices being utilized by employers in our region.

The application deadline is March 1, 2024.

Recognitions for this year’s Best Places to Work Award Recipients will be given during the 2024 Workforce Forum on April 25, 2024 at the Rochester International Event Center. Mark your calendars!

For more information on this year’s survey or the Best Places to Work program, contact Kortney Wobbe at Workforce Development, Inc. – 507.292.5189 or kwobbe@wdimn.org.

SURVEY LINK: http://bestplacestoworksurvey.com/survey.asp?posted=1&flag=1

Please share this information far and wide with your networks – other employers/partners, community organizations, local chambers, etc.

We appreciate your collaboration!

Local Workforce Development Center Back in Full Force

By ANNIE GRANLUND / Owatonna Peoples Press / southernminn.com / annie.granlund@apgsomn.com / Dec 7, 2021

It has been more than three years since Owatonna has had a local workforce development office, making it difficult to connect people who are unemployed or looking for a career change with the many local opportunities throughout the area.

That all changed this October when the Workforce Development Center reopened in a new location. Though the center has been helping individuals for nearly two months, it wasn’t until last week that they were back in “full force,” according to the Area Manager Mike Postma.

“Opening up again for appointments has really kept our career planner busy,” said Postma. “We have had less foot traffic, as far as people just dropping in, but we haven’t really been advertising that option, because we weren’t all set up yet inside. We spread the word with some of our local partners, but we wanted to kind of open slowly so we weren’t hit hard all at once.”

For the local business community, though, the reopening of the office is something to be celebrated.

When the center first closed in April 2018, the administrative team made it clear that it was due to a reduction in public resources, not a drop in demand. While the focus of the centers throughout the state had shifted from unemployed people to under-employed people, the centers continue to see an increase interest in work-based training, apprenticeships, internships and mentorships.

During the last year, the center was open at Riverland College in Owatonna, 464 individuals enrolled in the program to receive a variety of services. The number reflects those who had enrolled in the Dislocated Worker program, the Steele County Out of School Youth program, the Steele County In-School Youth program, and the job club attendees.

This number, however, does not include walk in customers who used the resource area, met with a counselor, inquired about job postings, and a variety of other in-person services.

Brad Meier, president of the Owatonna Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism who was one of the biggest advocates in securing state funding to reopen a local center, said he heard first hand how missed the local office was in town.

“What we continued to hear from people is that if they wanted to access the resources they had to go up to Faribault, which isn’t the end of the world, but it definitely less convenient,” Meier said. “Often times, transportation is already a hurdle for them, so if you have to drive somewhere to get that resource then we have a problem.”

Moving across town

The center’s new location is on Austin Road on the south side of town, which Postma said they are ecstatic about the location. Not only is it easily accessible, with ample parking and along the bus route, but the office is located inside the same building that houses the United Way of Steele County.

“We already partner with them for other things,” Postma said. “Now we are right in the same building, we are just the next office over.”
Meier said the two organizations becoming neighbors makes sense for a number of reasons, but especially because of the crossover that tends to happen among the people both agencies serve.

“The United Way already works with a lot of nonprofits that are here to service people who may need just a hand up to help them move forward,” he said. “That is a great fit for who our Workforce Development Center will help, as well.”

A bright future
Postma said he sees nothing but good things in the future for the workforce in Owatonna now that important resources are once again within everyone’s reach.

“My hope and what I see as the future for us is that we really form partnerships between our organization and the folks looking for the opportunities, as well as the business and education partners who have them,” he said. “It sounds so simple, but sometimes people have a hard time making those connections, even if they know what they’re looking for. We can help make those matches.”

Though the center will often work with people who find themselves unemployed, Postma strongly suggests that anyone living in the Owatonna area consider taking full advantage of all the center has to offer.

“In my lifetime of doing this work, there has never been a better time to be a job seeker,” Postma said. “The opportunities, pay, flexibility is all available and in your favor, so if you haven’t reconsidered your career path in awhile, not is a great time to do so and to stop in.”

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT CENTER
The Workforce Development Center has relocated to 1850 Austin Road, Suite 102, in Owatonna.
Hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Call 507-333-2088 to make an appointment.
Walk-in hours are available on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

 

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