Organization Name: City of Minneapolis Employment and Training
Executive Leader / Title: Deb Bahr-Helgen, Executive Director
Website: https://www.minneapolismn.gov/government/departments/cped/economic-development/minneapolis-employment-training/
Tell us about your organization’s mission and the communities you serve.
The City of Minneapolis Employment and Training (MET) is the workforce development division for the City of Minneapolis. We work to build a competitive, inclusive economy by connecting residents and businesses to opportunity. As the administrative entity for the Minneapolis Workforce Development Board, we ensure alignment between community needs, business priorities, and workforce strategies. We design, fund, and manage programs that help youth and adults prepare for meaningful work in high-demand industries. These programs provide training, career counseling, and support services that help residents move into stable, family-sustaining employment. For decades, MET has helped reduce economic disparities and expand access to good jobs for people of color, people with disabilities, and residents who live in areas with high poverty and unemployment. Each year, together with our network of community-based partners, we support more than 10,000 job seekers — about 80% of whom identify as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color.MET is an equal opportunity employer and service provider, a proud partner of the American Job Center network, and a leading CareerForce partner. We help connect career seekers and employers across the region, building a workforce that reflects the strength and diversity of our city.
What are the key services and programs you offer?
The City of Minneapolis Employment and Training (MET) has decades of experience providing employment and training services through a variety of programs and initiatives for youth, adults and employers.
ADULT PROGRAMS
Career Pathways: No cost, short-term training and support services that lead to industry-recognized credentials and prepare job seekers for entry-level roles in manufacturing, healthcare and other high demand industries.
Career Works / Adult WIOA: Individualized career counseling services for adults seeking employment or looking to improve, update or gain new employment skills.
Community Works: Guidance and support for individuals ready to work. We help them find and keep a job.Dislocated Worker program: Comprehensive career counseling services and training support for adults who have been laid off through no fault of their own and are unlikely to return to their previous occupation.
YOUTH PROGRAMS
Journey Forward: Wraparound support services to help justice-involved youth to overcome barriers to completing education or getting and keeping a job.
Step Up: Preparing today’s Minneapolis youth for tomorrow’s careers through work readiness training, career exploration and paid summer internships. Internships are with metro area public, private and nonprofit organizations.
Youth Works: Year-round employment assistance for in-school and out-of-school youth including assistance with education completion, training and employment support.
LOCATION-BASED SERVICES
In addition to partnering with a network of community-based organizations, MET provides services through several locations in the community.
Cedar Riverside Opportunity Center (CROC): Located in the heart of the diverse Cedar Riverside neighborhood, CROC is committed to making a tangible difference in the lives of local residents by connecting them to empowerment and opportunity. This collaborative alliance of government and nonprofit entities provides employment and training services and wraparound supports including skill training, comprehensive job fairs and events.
Minneapolis CareerForce locations: MET oversees two CareerOneStop locations on the north and south sides of the city. These centers host computer labs, workshops, job clubs, and events. Staff also offer information and referrals to other employment-related resources in the community.
Minneapolis Apprenticeship Outreach Office (AOO): Located in the north Minneapolis CareerForce location, the AOO is an information and navigation hub for people interested in registered apprenticeships. Staff provides monthly Apprenticeship 101 workshops and also meets one-on-one with individuals to provide guidance and/or to help them get connected to registered apprenticeship opportunities.
EMPLOYER SERVICES
MET staff actively engages with local businesses to identify current gaps and assist navigating the Minneapolis workforce landscape.
Workforce consultation: Needs-based solutions may include general recruiting assistance, labor market information, and connections to other resources, including hiring fairs.
Workshops and events: Business-focused events explore topics such as job quality, skills-based hiring, supporting individuals with disabilities in the workplace, and hiring individuals born outside the U.S.
Programs and initiatives: A variety of resources exist to help employers with address workforce needs. MET staff can directly support, or make connections to support, for training for new or existing employees and to raise awareness of opportunities in their industries.
Can you share a success story or impactful moment from your work?
Linda started working with employment services after being laid off from her childcare job of 7 years. She knew she wanted to pivot her career and go into a new field. After researching training and career opportunities with her Dislocated Worker program counselor, Linda enrolled in an office administration career pathway training. She was able to complete the program where she gained valuable skills. Those skills were noticed by many employers as she started interviewing. Within 4 weeks of completing her career pathway training, she landed a new job as an office manager. Linda is now working full-time in an office setting earning $8,000 more than she did in her previous job.
Why did you join MUS?
Minneapolis is a founding member of Midwest Urban Strategies. We joined Midwest Urban Strategies to exchange best practices from others and to network with other local workforce boards who prioritize innovation, responsiveness and high-quality services for job seekers and employers.
How has being a part of MUS benefited your organization so far?
We’ve benefited by being part of federal grants, allowing us to enhance our services to young people and those laid off through no fault of their own. We also benefit by learning from other areas especially regarding our youth programming. Step Up is our signature summer youth employment program. As we enter our 24th year of Step Up, we have placed over 30,000 interns who are now alumni and we’ve engaged with hundreds of employers over the years who’ve helped grow and develop the future workforce in Minneapolis.The Step Up team at the City of Minneapolis has connected with other MUS members regarding best practices and program structure. This connection with youth programs who are involved with MUS has been an invaluable resource to our team. We have implemented new ideas and learned about new tools that make the work even more effective.We also especially appreciate keeping up on the latest policy and implementation practices from the workforce development field.
Are there any partnerships or collaborations that have grown from your MUS membership?
As a founding member of MUS, we have enjoyed the Community of Practice formed between members. It is a wonderful opportunity to exchange information with our peers in workforce development across the Midwest.
Fun Fact - Share something unique about your organization, team, or history that people may not know.Minneapolis consistently has one of the highest labor-force participation rates in the entire country, often ranking in the top tier among major metro areas. We also have strong industry diversity in Minneapolis and the region. This diversity helps us buffer the local economy against downturns in any one sector.