Between mining, forest products, public utilities, and other niches, this region’s economy has historically been closely linked to the environment. Today, individuals in these fields are leading the way for the responsible use of resources of the present, as well as research for the future. Want to be part of it? Read on for more […]

Have we reached a historic tipping point? For centuries, employees have been easier to find than jobs. But mounting data suggests the labor shortages we’ve seen recently aren’t going away anytime soon. According to a June 2023 report from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, job vacancies are high, while unemployment rates have been trending […]

Pictured Above: A trail near Kawishiwi Falls. Is Ely the most mysterious city in the Northland? It’s definitely one of the most magnetic. Despite its remote location in the northernmost reaches of the state (just 16 miles south of the Canada border), Ely’s reputation as a haven for outdoors enthusiasts draws explorers and many others […]

Pictured Above: A Life Link helicopter team attended Discover Healthcare at The College of St. Scholastica in October 2022. Following the success of two community-coordinated and business-led events in October 2022 and April 2023, a third Discover Healthcare event is in planning for November 2023.   Over 100 students from regional high schools attended the Discover […]

Operations Specialist Caitlin Vander Wal joined the NORTHFORCE team in February 2023 and handles day-to-day administrative support for northforce.org. Here’s a quick Q&A with Caitlin: 1.      What’s a highlight from your work with NORTHFORCE so far? One of my recent highlights was the strategic directions workshops the advisory committee completed recently. It was a lovely […]

Did you know that LP Building Solutions is a global company headquartered in Nashville, employs approximately 4,800 people, and operates 25 facilities—including one in Two Harbors, Minnesota? LP is a wood product manufacturing company that utilizes aspen and creates a wide range of engineered wood products such as OSB, SmartSide, and trim. Since 2010, LP […]

Based in Mountain Iron, Heliene specializes in producing high-quality solar PV modules. The company offers competitive salaries plus comprehensive benefits, and is looking for talented and motivated people to help shape the solar industry. Heliene at a glance: From Heliene job descriptions: “Heliene has taken the challenge to help the world reduce its reliance on fossil fuels, by […]

This article originally appeared in the April 7, 2023 issue of the Duluth News Tribune. You can view it here. A review of recent trends in northforce.org data reaffirms the many mismatches that currently define our regional labor market, including ongoing workforce shortages across sectors. For a start, the pool of candidates actively seeking work is predominantly […]

Candidates can connect with employers at a series of career fairs which will take place across four Minnesota North College campuses later in March: The career fairs are designed to bring regional employers to the Minnesota North Colleges to meet with students who are interested in summer jobs, full-time employment, post-graduation employment, and internships.  For […]

The Northland’s workforce shortage is closely linked to the region’s housing shortage. People can’t accept job offers if they can’t find a place to live! Leijona, a new development which has transformed downtown Duluth’s historic St. Louis County Jail building into modern apartments, is testing a new housing model which could provide a solution to […]