RMCEP News

Northwest Region Blog

The presence of such industry powerhouses as Polaris, Arctic Cat and New Flyer make Northwest Minnesota a hub of transportation equipment manufacturing.

From wheat and potatoes to soybeans and sugar beets, the region is a major producer and processor of food staples and specialty agricultural products. Click here to view the blog.

Executive Director Dan Wenner Retires After 32 Years

Friday, June 14, 2019

Dan Wenner has spent more than three decades working for the Rural Minnesota Concentrated Employment Program (RMCEP). But before that, the retiring executive director was a client. Wenner turned to RMCEP when he needed some assistance to find work. This experience of getting help when he really needed it — and the way services were delivered — made an impression on him. “I gained a high regard for the organization because of the way staff treated people — with respect,” Wenner says. When a job opportunity later opened up at RMCEP, he decided to pursue it. Wenner started his 32-year career at RMCEP...

Training New Americans for in-demand jobs of tomorrow

Wednesday, June 05, 2019

Our state will be short 239,000 workers by 2022, according to the Minnesota Chamber’s “Minnesota Business Benchmarks” report. There’s no simple way to address this workforce challenge. But with some guidance and training, recent immigrants will be able to help fill the labor gap. For several years, the Rural Minnesota Concentrated Employment Program (RMCEP) has been encouraging immigrants to work toward self-sufficiency through its New Americans program. Now RMCEP and its partners received a $550,000 competitive grant to augment these services and reduce employment barriers for New Americans with workforce training. The Pathways to Prosperity (P2P) program grant runs until July 2020...

An Opportune Time to Improve Financial Literacy

Monday, April 01, 2019

A recent survey by GOBankingRates indicates 57 percent of Americans have less than $1000 in savings. Without an adequate buffer of emergency funds, unexpected expenses like car repairs or medical bills can quickly translate into debt. April is Financial Literacy Month, a perfect excuse to get a jump start on healthier financial habits, such as budgeting, saving and taking general control of one’s finances for the future. Many of us were taught how to balance a checkbook in high school. But education about how to manage debt, reduce spending or establish a long-range financial plan is less common. Financial literacy is a life...

Job Counselors Help Navigate Path to Self Sufficiency

Friday, March 22, 2019

Nearly 80 percent of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. And a recent survey found that 44 percent of households wouldn’t have a savings reserve to cover a $400 emergency expense. These sobering statistics illustrate that many Americans are one financial hardship away from needing financial help. In the instance of unexpected life challenges like a car breakdown, illness or sudden job loss, cash assistance (more commonly known as welfare) provides an important safety net. Not everyone knows that individuals who receive Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) cash assistance are required to participate in employment services. Rural Minnesota Concentrated Employment Program (RMCEP) provides...

Leadership and Organization

Wednesday, March 06, 2019

DEED is led by Commissioner Steve Grove. As commissioner of the state’s principal workforce and economic development agency, Commissioner Grove brings a wealth of private sector and civic experience to the Department of Employment and Economic Development. Originally from Northfield, Minnesota, Commissioner Grove is focused on growing the state’s workforce, closing the opportunity gap and providing businesses with the help they need to grow, stay and thrive. Read full article.

Unemployment Drops, but Labor Force Growth Lags

Monday, March 04, 2019

With the recent change in the gubernatorial administration, it’s time to look back over the past eight years of the Dayton administration, assess Minnesota’s employment conditions, and see how current conditions compare to those in play during previous administrations. No single elected state official deserves all the blame or all the credit for changing conditions well beyond their control. Governors of both parties have seen broader cyclical trends impact the state’s economy – as this comparison highlights. To ignore these impacts and attribute good or bad performance to the office holder overstates their influence over these trends. Read full article.

Grant Assists Dislocated Herberger’s Workers

Saturday, February 16, 2019

When the doors of Herberger’s department stores were shuttered across Minnesota last August, it devastated many communities, especially those in rural regions. About 200 workers in the Rural Minnesota Concentrated Employment Program (RMCEP) service area lost their jobs. With a special 18-month grant program, RMCEP has been helping dislocated Herberger’s workers get the support, assistance and training they need to move forward. “The significance of the funding is that it’s dedicated to that specific group of workers,” explains Sue Hilgart, Program Manager for RMCEP. “They don’t have to compete with dislocated workers from around the region for program dollars. It’s a...

Magazine Highlights Minnesota as a Top Spot for Business

Wednesday, January 30, 2019

The new edition of Minnesota: Thriving in the North spells out the benefits of doing business here. It highlights the state’s inviting business climate, innovative atmosphere and world-class workforce. The publication, available in both print and digital versions, is part of DEED’s ongoing work to promote the state’s advantages for business investment and expansion, as well as its culture of innovation and quality of life. Read more.

Measuring Employment

Monday, January 28, 2019

DEED publishes two employment estimates each month based on two separate surveys: The household survey (Current Population Survey) and the payroll survey (Current Employment Statistics or CES survey). The household survey asks households about their employment status; the payroll survey asks Minnesota employers how many workers they have on their payrolls. The numbers produce slightly different employment counts. Over the last four decades, changes in the employment mix (self-employment, people holding multiple jobs and agricultural jobs shrinking as a percent of employment) have narrowed the gap in the employment counts. Knowing why the two series differ and how the gap between them...

Not Taking the Expansion for Granted

Thursday, January 24, 2019

Minnesota’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held at 2.8 percent in November for the third month in a row. The state’s unemployment rate remains the lowest since May 1999 and three tenths of a point above the all-time low of 2.5 percent (January and February, 1999). October’s gain of 3,400 jobs was reduced to 2,500 after revision. Read full article.

Somewhere Between Site Selection and Storytelling: An Expert Webinar

Thursday, January 24, 2019

Economic development organizations face hard choices. To encourage investment and job growth, they must make certain decisions. They cannot be all things to all people. To a large degree, an EDO must bet on certain aspects of a community to be effective. Site selection is a changing landscape, staying on top of the current trends and features is important for your local economic development. Knowing how to tell the story to match the changing trends is even more important. in this webinar, Aaron Brossoit, CEO of Golden Shovel, explained about the changes in site selection and how an EDO can stay on...