Governor Walz & Staff Visit Owatonna
Discussion Highlights Workforce Issues
Governor Tim Walz, Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan and Minnesota Department of Employment of Economic Development (DEED) Commissioner Steve Grove spent August 10 in Owatonna touring businesses and meeting with community members to hear about challenges businesses are facing.
The state leaders were welcomed by Mayor Thomas Kuntz to a panel discussion at Owatonna Public Utilities. The panel included local representatives from LifeFitness, Viracon, Black Forest Ltd., US Bank, Wenger Corporation and State Farm Insurance. The panelists responded to questions about the challenges being faced by businesses in Owatonna.
Key among the issues discussed were workforce shortages, preparing high school students to enter the workforce, childcare shortages and housing. Grove highlighted Owatonna’s success in collaborating around projects that serve the community such as the private/public partnership funding the construction of the new high school. “Owatonna should be shouting ‘Look what we’ve done!’”, Grove said. He encouraged the community to explore under-examined labor pools such as second chance worker programs.
Walz asked panelists what state leaders can do to help resolve the local challenges being faced. He stressed the importance of building nonpartisan consensus around workforce issues. Walz said, “We need to align the talent we have with the right jobs.” Flanagan added, “We want Minnesota to be the best place in the country to raise a family.”
The City of Owatonna and the Owatonna Area Chamber of Commerce worked together to arrange visit as part of DEED’s “Summer of Jobs” campaign aimed at using DEED’s resources to better connect employers to job seekers. For additional information, visit DEED. Commissioner Steve Grove/Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (mn.gov)