MAHNOMEN — Minnesota's unemployment rate is low, but the state still faces a skilled labor shortage. A regional college hopes to be a solution as it looks to break ground on a new training center for in-demand jobs.
Data show Minnesota has a job vacancy rate of more than 5%, above the desired goal of around 4%, with the older population leaving the workforce.
At White Earth Tribal and Community College, school President Anna Sheppard said not having a big enough talent pool for certain types of jobs is a problem in her part of the state.
"We've had to wait for electricians to come in, just to do work here," she said, "just because there's not many in this area."
The school is planning a trades building on campus to develop the next generation of plumbers, electricians and other skilled workers. It could also benefit White Earth's plan to expand its renewable-energy programming for students. The project's cost is $15 million. Supporters hope the state will chip in, but a tighter spending mood in the Legislature, along with the impact of federal cuts, could make that difficult.
White Earth Student Senate president Deidra Berg said she sees this planned building as a way to keep Indigenous students, post-graduation, in surrounding communities that struggle with limited wages and a lack of resources.
"We are a 'food desert' area, and so that's a really big issue here," she said. "We'd like to be able to offer our people, our students, the tools to get their education here and hopefully, stay close to home and build our community up."
The organization Fresh Energy said training students for projects such as solar power development can help local economies get stronger. Campus officials say they've already secured land for the trades building, and the architectural renderings are complete. If state aid is slow, White Earth will try to line up grants and other support. Training could begin as early as fall 2027.
This article is republished with permission from the Minnesota News Conenction.
