Survey Results Reveal CareerForce System Professionals' View of the Current Job Search Environment in NW Minnesota
22 Aug 2025
For Immediate Release
View of the Current Job Search Environment in NW Minnesota
[DETROIT LAKES, MN] - Rural Minnesota Concentrated Employment Program (RMCEP) and DEED staff along with other Northwest Minnesota workforce development professionals serve thousands of job seekers every year and offer a great sense of the current regional job search environment and how it has changed over time.
Of the 51 RMCEP staff, DEED staff and other workforce development professionals in the Northwest Minnesota region who completed a Job Search Experience survey in July, one (2%) said it was much easier for job seekers they are working with to find employment compared to a year ago, six (12%) said it was somewhat easier, 17 (33%) said it was somewhat harder and eight (16%) said it was much harder to find employment; 19 (37%) said the job search environment was about the same as this time last year.
RMCEP staff, DEED staff and other workforce development professionals in the area said it was currently easier for people to get hired in food service positions (like cooks, servers and bartenders) as well as health care support positions (like Nursing Assistants and Personal Care Aides) than it was a year ago. They said it is harder to get hired as creative professionals, legal professionals, architects and engineers than a year ago.
“Even as some professions face tighter markets, RMCEP empowers job seekers to pursue opportunities in industries where demand is rising, contact RMCEP now to find out how we are partnering with DEED to support occupations in high demand through On-the-Job Training and tuition assistance” - Tina Jaster, Executive Director, Rural MN CEP, Inc. RMCEP staff and other workforce development professionals in the CareerForce system have extensive experience helping people from all backgrounds and types of work histories find new employment. They have deep knowledge of the local job market, and they can help job seekers make connections with local employers who are hiring now. CareerForce is the state’s official career exploration and job search resource, with more than 50 locations throughout the state to serve people looking for work. Statewide, of the 310 CareerForce staff and partner Job Search Experience survey respondents, 34 (11%) say it was somewhat easier or much easier for the job seekers they serve to find employment, 86 (28%) say it was about the same and 174 (56%) say it was somewhat harder or much harder to find employment compared to a year ago. Rural Minnesota Concentrated Employment Program, Inc. (RMCEP) provides career counseling, training, and employment services across 19 counties in Northwest Minnesota, helping job seekers connect with in-demand careers and supporting employers with a skilled workforce.
Find out more about the services provided to Northwest Minnesota job seekers and employers by Leading CareerForce Partner RMCEP. Learn about CareerForce services available throughout Minnesota and search thousands of Minnesota jobs at CareerForce.MN.gov.
Contact:
Tina Jaster, Executive Director
218-847-0720
tinaj@rmcep.com
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