Workforce

The availability of skilled workforce is the # 1 issue facing employers today.  On this page you’ll find information about Hutchinson’s award-winning skilled workforce development initiative, sources of employees, area workforce availability and local wage rates.

TigerPath

Skilled Workforce Development

Hutchinson, Minnesota’s Manufacturing City, in partnership with the local school district, Ridgewater College, the Southwest Initiative Foundation, 3M and over two dozen local employers, has developed a new national model for skilled workforce development.  To date we’ve raised over $1.67 million to implement the plan.

It’s called TigerPath and it’s built around the premise that the solution to our skilled workforce needs is right in front of us:  it’s the kids in our high schools. 

The reality is that 75% of all jobs in Minnesota require 2-years or less of education past high school (but nearly half of high school graduates pursue a bachelor’s degree, because “that’s just what you do…”).  With TigerPath, our goal is to get young people going to where the jobs actually are.

TigerPath is:

“Discovering Talent, Developing Skills, Building Careers.”

Six core strategies make up Hutchinson’s TigerPath initiative:

1. Realign high school education by implementing the TigerPath Academies – a career academy model of education designed to help students discover their talents, develop their skills and build rewarding careers based on their own interests and aptitudes,  getting away from “one-size-fits-all” solutions.
2. Build seamless educational pathways between high school & college so students can earn free college credit and industry-recognized credentials before they graduate high school.
3. Change outdated stereotypes about manufacturing, education & career choices and gender in the workforce through tours of local precision high-tech manufacturers, job shadowing, a dedicated website and other marketing activities.
4. Build school-employer relationships by implementing an internship program for high school students with local manufacturers and other employers, along with other initiatives such as “adopt a classroom.”
5. Dramatically upgrade high school tech-ed facilities & equipment at the high school to change the stereotype students & parents have of manufacturing, get students inspired and excited about technical education & careers and provide first-class, real-world equipment for students to train on.
6. Launch Tiger Manufacturing – an authentic manufacturing business based in the high school, run by students, designing and manufacturing real products for real customers.  Tiger Manufacturing will add relevance to coursework, provide realistic work experience, build teamwork & soft skills, foster critical thinking & problem-solving skills, and teach entrepreneurship and business operations.

The Plan

Here’s a presentation outlining our plan:

Executive Summary & “One-Pager”

An executive summary of the TigerPath Initiative can be downloaded here: TigerPath Executive Summary

A one-page document explaining TigerPath can be found here: TigerPath One Page.

Other Resources

Finally, be sure to check out the TigerPath website:  www.HutchTigerPath.com

If you have any questions or need additional information, please call Miles R. Seppelt, our Economic Development Director, at 320.234.4223 or Email Miles

Sources of Employees

• MInnesotaWorks.net is a no fee on-line job bank for finding jobs and employees in Minnesota.
• CareerForce is a valuable resource for both job seekers and employers.
• The Finding Workers resource at the Minnesota Department of Employment & Economic Development (DEED) website has a variety of tools and resources for employers.
• Minnesota Workforce Center: 320.587.4740
• Doherty Staffing Solutions: 320.234.6123
• Spartan Staffing: 320.587.0400

Workforce Availability in McLeod County & City of Hutchinson

Wage Rates in McLeod County, by Occupation

Source: Minnesota Department of Economic Development (DEED), QCEW Tool
*NAICS = North America Industrial Classification System
Note: Data provided is from Q3, 2021