Celebrating Minnesota Manufacturers

Throughout the month of October, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) has been celebrating the critical role manufacturing plays in our state’s economy and drawing attention to the many great employment opportunities in the sector. DEED’s Workforce Strategy Consultants organized virtual and in-person events, like the CTE Jamboree in Cold Spring, MN (see photo at right). CareerForce staff and partners hosted hiring events ranging from events focused on single local manufacturing employers to events featuring manufacturers across the state. DEED helped get the word out about the dozens of Minnesota manufacturers offering virtual tours to students and others interested in learning more about manufacturing careers. 

Manufacturing is critically important to Minnesota’s economic success. This diverse, technology-driven sector contributed $50.8 billion of the state’s gross domestic product – that’s 14% of the state’s total GDP –in 2020. Manufacturing accounted for 11.4% of statewide employment in 2020 – it’s the second?largest industry sector by employment in Minnesota. More than 309,000 people work in manufacturing in Minnesota. When you consider direct and indirect jobs, manufacturing supports almost 900,000 jobs, or roughly 33% of all the state’s jobs. 

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