WC Minnesota News

Minnesota is desperately in need of skilled workers, who have learned a trade as the baby boomer generation continues to go into retirement. 

Rep. Torrey Westrom understands this as well and spoke out in support of trade apprenticeship programs that prepare the next generation of skilled workers.

"Apprenticeships are providing welcome opportunities for people looking for a career in the trades,” Westrom said in a Facebook post. “We have to encourage the growth of our skilled workforce.”

According to Jacqueline Buck, employer services director at the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), apprenticeship programs and trade school opportunities are highly needed due to the current struggle of filling the 75,000 skilled jobs that are currently unfilled, according to Star Tribune.

The main cause of the abundance of unfilled jobs is due to the lack of qualified and skilled workers that employers need to fill these types of positions. Thankfully, there are a few different routes available to address this issue.

Training programs are available, however, their duration is normally often one to three years in length and has a price tag of $15,000 to $20,000 per student. Often times, unions or employers will partly cover the cost of the training.

Minnesota offers training grants that allow workers to “earn and learn” while they are training to become skilled and proficient at their jobs. The premise behind these programs is that students earn regular increases in pay as they become more proficient in a skill and meet classroom hours.