Six events connect area students with local employers
This spring, Northspan’s NORTHFORCE program will host a semester of added Student Connect programming to help connect area students with local professionals and organizations that are invested in our community.
Three free learning sessions will take place online during spring semester and allow students to explore professional development topics tailored to candidates seeking careers in northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin. During these sessions students will get the chance to learn from area employment experts about the regional job market, including high-demand industries, competitive average wages, and other data:
- Feb. 8 | 12:00 – 1:30 p.m. — Welcome, Personal Branding & Professional Connections
- Mar. 1 | 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. — Community Involvement & Social Impact
- Mar. 29 | 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. — Personality Profiles, Group Dynamics & Cultural Fluency
Three business meet and greet sessions will also give students a chance to participate in a Q&A session and network one-on-one with major area employers:
- Feb. 22 | 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. Business Meet & Greet Session 1 of 3
- Mar. 22 | 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. Business Meet & Greet Session 2 of 3
- Apr. 12 | 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. Business Meet & Greet Session 3 of 3
This spring’s featured employers will include Duluth Seaway Port Authority, the City of Duluth, APEX, and Minnesota Power/ALLETE. The online business meet and greets are free and open to the public. Anyone interested in participating can sign up at northforce.org/meet-and-greets.
Past business meet and greet events featuring local employers can be viewed on the NORTHFORCE Youtube Channel.
The Northland hosts a large population of students who choose to come here for their college years, yet a vast majority of students leave our area after they graduate. Through Student Connect, students from all 13 college campuses in the NF region can meet other students from the area, learn about local employers, and make connections with leading professionals. For Spring 2022, the programming is also open to students from the region’s high schools.
The Student Connect program is part of Northspan’s Welcoming Community programming with the goal of welcoming new residents or those from historically disadvantaged backgrounds and fostering an inclusive environment to set the stage for community and economic growth.
“Student Connect is informed by extensive conversations we’ve conducted throughout our region,” said Northspan’s Lead for Minnesota Fellow and Welcoming Community Program Coordinator Amber Lewis. “Schools, teachers, and employers have expressed a strong need for a program to connect students with entry level jobs and internships. In the midst of severe ongoing workforce shortages, we intend for Student Connect to fill this gap in our business community.”
The free programming will take place via Zoom and is open to unlimited attendance.
- Students interested in participating in Student Connect for Spring 2022 can learn more and register here: northforce.org/student-connect
- Members of the public interested in attending the business meet and greets can learn more and register here: https://northforce.org/meet-and-greets
- Organizations and businesses interested in partnering with NORTHFORCE for future programs can learn more by emailing info@northforce.org
For more information please contact: Northspan’s Lead for Minnesota Fellow and Student Connect Program Coordinator Amber Lewis at alewis@northspan.org or (218) 481-7737.
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NORTHFORCE connects candidates with employers in the Northland and is powered by Northspan. NORTHFORCE is funded in part by the following partners: Department of Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation; Duluth Economic Development Authority (DEDA); Duluth Seaway Port Authority; Northeast Minnesota Workforce Development Board; Minnesota Power; APEX; and JCC Services. Learn more at northforce.org.
Northspan specializes in creative thinking, enterprising strategies, and systematic approaches to help businesses, communities, regions, and organizations prosper in a global economy, working cooperatively with economic and community development partners to leverage resources for measurable, sustainable results. Learn more at northspan.org.
