Wage Rates | Workforce Development | Workforce Demographics
High Performing, Available Workforce
The area boasts a high performing, available workforce with 18% of Itasca County’s population earning a bachelor’s degree or higher and a large pool of young adults anxious to return home when job opportunities become available. There is an estimated population of 91,000 over age 16 within a 50 mile radius of Grand Rapids. The labor force in that area is estimated at 52,000.
Performance Plus: A recent study commissioned by Wells Fargo concluded that its Northeast Minnesota workforce was 25% more productive than most of its other customer service operations nationwide.
Current unemployment rates can be found at www.deed.state.mn.us.
Wage rates in northeastern Minnesota compare favorably with Minnesota averages
| Northeast Minnesota | Minnesota | |
| Total All Occupations | $15.26/hr | $17.09/hr |
| Management Occupations | $35.03/hr | $44.74/hr |
| Business and Financial Operations Occupations | $21.02/hr | $26.50/hr |
| Community and Social Services Occupations | $16.43/hr | $17.87/hr |
| Education, Training and Library Occupations | $21.16/hr | $20.35/hr |
| Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations | $26.83/hr | $29.91/hr |
| Production Occupations | $16.56/hr | $15.54/hr |
Source: www.deed.state.mn.us
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Itasca Community College (ICC) has an excellent working relationship with area industry. Partnering with UPM Blandin, the University of MN and the National Science Foundation, ICC offers 3 programs in pulp and paper technology, including an associate degree. This fall will mark the inauguration of ICC’s new associate in applied science degree in Industrial Technology-Power Generation. In partnership with MN Power and other local energy companies, this program was developed to address anticipated workforce shortages in this industry. The students completing this program will be proficient in the skills necessary for 21st century power generation, including a fundamental knowledge of renewable energy sources such as biomass, wind, and solar.
ICC is also home to an innovative model for engineering education based on an engineering learning community (students share dorm rooms on the top floor of the engineering building), and project/site based applied learning at various companies in the area. This two year AAS program has become so successful that it expanded to offer a Bachelors degree in engineering in the fall of 2009. Area industry will benefit from having a local supply chain of degreed engineers, rather than having to recruit them from outside.
The Minnesota DEED Job Skills Partnership Program, whose purpose is to act as a catalyst between business and education in developing cooperative projects to provide training for new jobs or retained employees, is a potential source of up to $400,000 in grant funds. Itasca Community College has an excellent working knowledge of the Job Skills Partnership Program with over $624,000 in grants awarded recently for training programs done in partnership with two area businesses, including Blandin Paper Company. This program requires matching funds from the business entity on a one-to-one ratio.
Bachelor’s Degree in Business Available in Grand RapidsItasca Community College (ICC) in Grand Rapids offers an Associate in Science degree in Business Administration Management. This program is fully articulated with the College of St. Scholastica’s Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration which is offered on the ICC campus. Professors from the College of St. Scholastica travel to Grand Rapids to teach the 3rd and 4th year courses. Students receive the benefit of being able to obtain a four year degree in Business without leaving home.
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| 2008 Estimated Population | 30 Mile Radius | 50 Mile Radius | 70 Mile Radius |
| Total Population | 48,927 | 109,645 | 301,504 |
| Age 0-14 | 8,137 | 17,428 | 50,390 |
| Age 15-17 | 2,088 | 4,633 | 12,796 |
| Age 18-20 | 2,035 | 4,313 | 12,821 |
| Age 21-24 | 2,682 | 5,719 | 17,125 |
| Age 25-34 | 5,656 | 12,499 | 37,415 |
| Age 35-44 | 5,468 | 11,848 | 34,299 |
| Age 45-49 | 3,710 | 8,026 | 22,357 |
| Age 50-54 | 4,027 | 8,743 | 23,230 |
| Age 55-59 | 3,717 | 8,289 | 21,276 |
| Age 60-64 | 2,918 | 6,732 | 17,068 |
| Age 65+ | 8,489 | 21,415 | 52,727 |
| 2008 Est. Employment-Ages 16+ | |||
| Total | 40,104 | 90,724 | 246,911 |
| In Armed Forces | 10 | 49 | 264 |
| Civilian, Employed | 22,340 | 48,856 | 140,290 |
| Civilian, Unemployed | 1,592 | 3,475 | 9,298 |
| Not In Labor Force | 16,162 | 38,344 | 97,060 |
| 2008 Est.Educational Attainment - Ages 25+ | |||
| Less than 9th Grade | 1,561 | 3,639 | 10,027 |
| Some High School (No diploma) | 3,402 | 8,256 | 20,196 |
| High School Grad or GED | 11,544 | 26,805 | 71,296 |
| Some College (No Degree) | 8,998 | 20,004 | 52,937 |
| Associate Degree | 2,833 | 3,478 | 16,781 |
| Bachelors Degree | 4,014 | 8,776 | 26,011 |
| Masters Degree | 1,009 | 2,292 | 7,366 |
| Professional School Degree | 466 | 1,018 | 2,827 |
| Doctorate Degree | 157 | 284 | 929 |
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