Southeast Minnesota is a health care and agricultural powerhouse. The region is home to the renowned Mayo Clinic and some of the world's most recognized food companies and brands.
Advanced manufacturing is especially strong here, with machinery, chemicals, and electronics among the top products.
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11/8/2021 9:00:00 AM
There are almost 11,000 veterans between the ages 18 to 64 in the labor force in the Southeast region of the state, spanning several periods of service from Vietnam to Iraq and Afghanistan. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey shows that veterans are faring rather well in the regional labor market, with a labor force participation rate of 82.6%, coupled with a relatively low unemployment rate of 3.6%. Comparatively, statewide the labor force participation rate for veterans is lower, resting at 79.5%, while the unemployment rate is higher, sitting at 4%.
But what about those veterans who are unemployed or who have a job but are looking to move on to something better? One issue they may face is how to capitalize on their military skills to help them find that new job. This may not always be the easiest thing to do, but it seems logical that the first step in this process would be to simply identify which skills were learned and/or strengthened during military service.
According to a 2021 article titled 12 Military Skills to Put on a Resume for Any Job on Indeed.com, there are 12 transferable military skills that likely will appeal to prospective employers. Veterans who have re-joined civilian life can find themselves with numerous job opportunities as a result of having these finely-tuned skills. These skills include:
Southeast Minnesota has many job vacancies and employers are struggling to find workers. Employers may find it beneficial to recruit veterans for their job openings given their proven performance with the skills mentioned above, which could also cut down on training costs.
But what occupational groups are hiring? The quick answer is ALL OF THEM! There were over 21,500 job vacancies in the second quarter of 2021 in Southeast Minnesota according to DEED's Job Vacancy Survey and most, if not all, would likely be a good fit for someone who has these skills. Just under one-quarter of vacancies required post-secondary education (24%) and almost half required one or more years of experience (44%). Median wages for these vacancies ranged from a low of $13.11 for Food Preparation & Serving Related occupations to a high of $31.14 in Business & Financial Operations occupations. See Table 1.
What you'll notice when looking at the vacancy data is that it is highly likely that these military skills could easily transfer to the plethora of job vacancies in the region. For example, what employer wouldn't want a Registered Nurse with excellent communication skills or a Machinist that is dedicated and flexible and is willing to work overtime if needed?
| Occupational Group | Number of Vacancies | Median Wage Offer | Percent Part-Time | Percent Temporary or Seasonal | Percent Requires Post-Secondary Education | Percent Requires 1+ Years Experience | Percent Requires Certificate or License |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total, All Occupations | 21,510 | $16.01 | 27% | 22% | 24% | 44% | 44% |
| Food Preparation & Serving Related | 3,795 | $13.11 | 46% | 2% | 1% | 31% | 13% |
| Construction & Extraction | 2,699 | $16.01 | 24% | 94% | 1% | 26% | 24% |
| Transportation & Material Moving | 2,686 | $15.73 | 29% | 7% | 3% | 33% | 80% |
| Sales & Related | 2,423 | $14.00 | 18% | 6% | 14% | 42% | 21% |
| Healthcare Practitioners & Technical | 1,232 | $23.27 | 21% | 5% | 71% | 83% | 97% |
| Installation, Maintenance, & Repair | 1,012 | $18.76 | 3% | 1% | 3% | 30% | 58% |
| Healthcare Support | 982 | $13.76 | 42% | 0% | 16% | 9% | 46% |
| Personal Care & Service | 896 | $14.92 | 64% | 44% | 57% | 61% | 73% |
| Management | 842 | $27.78 | 0% | 7% | 93% | 99% | 61% |
| Business & Financial Operations | 775 | $31.14 | 1% | 33% | 94% | 96% | 76% |
| Production | 761 | $15.76 | 3% | 4% | 3% | 14% | 6% |
| Educational Instruction & Library | 760 | $17.34 | 17% | 27% | 88% | 97% | 95% |
| Office & Administrative Support | 679 | $16.84 | 23% | 5% | 29% | 68% | 33% |
| Building & Grounds Cleaning & Maint. | 607 | $15.10 | 41% | 9% | 4% | 10% | 13% |
| Farming, Fishing, & Forestry | 264 | $13.71 | 0% | 82% | 1% | 13% | 19% |
| Life, Physical, & Social Science | 192 | $22.16 | 30% | 60% | 67% | 70% | 52% |
| Internships | 184 | $18.32 | 89% | 87% | 95% | 31% | 56% |
| Arts, Design, Entertainment & Media | 168 | $15.98 | 59% | 42% | 25% | 74% | 68% |
| Protective Service | 158 | $13.83 | 50% | 59% | 4% | 41% | 66% |
| Computer & Mathematical | 132 | $27.72 | 0% | 1% | 95% | 100% | 41% |
| Community & Social Service | 123 | $23.51 | 4% | 7% | 69% | 90% | 79% |
| Architecture & Engineering | 71 | $26.48 | 1% | 3% | 82% | 96% | 74% |
| Apprenticeships | 66 | $12.95 | 0% | 2% | 0% | N/A | 3% |
| Source: DEED Job Vacancy Survey | |||||||
There are many resources out there to help veterans on their job search and, more specifically, to help them get the most out of their military training by transferring their military skills to civilian worker skills that employers are looking for. One of the best ways to start is by checking out the Veterans Resources page on the Minnesota CareerForce website, which offers many resources for Veterans including information to locate the dedicated Local Veterans Employment Representatives and Disabled Veterans Outreach Program Specialists that work throughout the state. The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development truly appreciates Minnesota's veterans and is proud to serve them in any capacity possible.
Contact Mark Schultz.
