#658 – State of Minnesota Celebrates Manufacturing
Posted on | The Agurban
State of Minnesota Celebrates Manufacturing
We collected a number of stories about Manufacturing Day 2017. Manufacturing plays a crucial role in so many states’ economies. Below is an article, in part, posted by the Star Tribune in Minneapolis detailing some facts about manufacturing in Minnesota.
Hundreds of the nearly 8,000 Minnesota manufacturers, often working in partnership with area community and technical colleges and the state economic development department, opened their doors this month to high school students who are thinking about careers making things.
A manufacturing association even pays for the school buses to the plants.
“These are not your grandpa’s manufacturing jobs,” said Lynn Shelton, vice president of marketing at Enterprise Minnesota, a consultant and advocate for manufacturers. “Our clients are looking for workers at all levels of their organizations and working hand-in-glove with high schools and technical colleges around the state to make sure those jobs get filled.”
Minnesota manufacturers have 6,000-plus job openings.
The average annual wage for full-time manufacturing jobs was $63,236 in 2015, according to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. That’s 15 percent higher than the average wage for all industries.”
Many employers cover some or all of the cost of certifications and degrees through two-year colleges, such as Hennepin Tech, Minneapolis Community & Technical College and St. Paul College. The students aren’t overburdened with college debt.
Manufacturing is the largest component of Minnesota economic output, totaling $48.6 billion last year in industries as diverse as medical products, food and technology.
After years of contraction, Minnesota’s high-value manufacturing industries are expanding. Wages are rising, partly thanks to demand for skilled and trainable workers. And economists say workforce development for fast-growing clean energy industries, precision manufacturing and other areas is key to creating new jobs while replacing retiring baby boomers.