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Health Care Month highlights employment opportunities

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Multiple Minnesota agencies team up to address workforce shortage

The critically important role of health care workers has never been more apparent than now as we enter a second winter with COVID-19.
Minnesota’s nursing assistants, RNs, respiratory therapists and many others have saved thousands of lives during the pandemic. They need more Minnesotans to join them in this noble and lifesaving work.
That’s why Governor Walz has proclaimed January as Health Care Month, and he’s working with top officials in health, human services, education and economic development.
“There are tens of thousands of open health care positions throughout Minnesota – at every level, in every setting and in every part of the state,” said Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development Commissioner Steve Grove.
“Caring people are needed now more than ever to make a difference in the lives of others – and get started on a fulfilling, in-demand career path.”
Minnesota Department of Education Commissioner Heather Mueller said reaching students early and often is key to addressing the health care worker shortage.
“We need to ensure that our students know about the many career pathways that exist within the health care profession and how each of these pathways can intersect with other areas of career interest,” she said.
“High school students age 15 and older have an opportunity to earn while they learn by engaging in training that allows them to be hired into age-appropriate health care employment.”
In higher education, training and tuition incentives are being offered for students pursuing education in high-need career areas at public institutions.
During Health Care Month, special focus will be put on sharing health care employment opportunities with unemployed Minnesotans, Minnesotans looking for a fulfilling career, as well as students at both the high school and college level.
Many entry-level health care positions can be started with employer-provided training, and many of those positions leverage skills and experience from other industries – meaning people with employment experience from other sectors are encouraged to apply.
Wages go up with additional training and certification, which in some cases is also paid for by the employer.
There is projected long-term demand for many health care positions, according to DEED’s Labor Market Information office, as well as critically high current demand for many health care workers.
DEED and its partners in CareerForce are hosting health care hiring events around the state.
MDE is sharing health care career exploration information and encouraging school leaders and teachers to connect with local health care employers hiring high school age students now.
The Office of Higher Education is leading an effort to enroll, train and deploy 1,000 certified nursing assistants to long-term care locations by the end of January.
DHS is engaging in intensified efforts to connect direct support professionals with Minnesotans with disabilities who need them.
MDH is exploring ways to expand access to health care employment by addressing pandemic-induced training and certification bottlenecks and encouraging vaccinations to reduce the burden on the health care system.
All the agencies are committed to working together to connect Minnesotans with career path employment in critically needed health care positions to address the health care workforce shortage.

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