Workforce

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.

Skilled Workforce Development: TigerPath

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 $1.56 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 2/3 of all jobs in the economy 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 Change outdated stereotypes about manufacturing, education & career choices and gender in the workforce through tours of local precision high-tech manufacturers, job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 class-room.”
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 a realistic work experience, build teamwork & soft skills, foster critical thinking & problem solving skills, and teach entrepreneurship and business operations.

Here’s a PowerPoint presentation outlining our plan:

Skilled Workforce Development Plan Presentation (pdf)

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

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.