The Anoka Area Chamber of Commerce Prepares for a Manufacturing Future Through Workforce Development
August 20, 2024
In 2008, the Anoka Area Chamber of Commerce realized it had a problem: there was no clear value proposition for manufacturing companies. Existing organizations had limited support in their growth efforts, while new manufacturers had no reason to move to the region.
A lot has changed in 15 years. Not only has the Anoka Area Chamber of Commerce developed resources “For Manufacturers, By Manufacturers” but it has implemented clear processes to support the future of manufacturing for decades to come.
“The beautiful part of the Chamber is that we know everybody,” says John LeTourneau, Director of Manufacturing for the Anoka Area Chamber of Commerce. “We have relationships with governments, school systems, tech colleges, etc. and we know how to bring people together.”
The cornerstone of manufacturing support and recruitment is the existing workforce. Learn how the Anoka Area Chamber of Commerce, an essential part of the Minnesota Technology Corridor, developed programs to train new employees and upskill workers to create an environment that supports a thriving manufacturing field.
The Anoka Chamber Identified Three Manufacturing Pain Points
The first step to develop manufacturing in Anoka County and the surrounding areas it supports was for the Chamber to take a deep dive into the needs of major employers in the region. They invited manufacturing business leaders to brainstorming sessions and round-table discussions, letting them speak. Through this, the Chamber identified more than 100 pain points affecting the industry. From there, they narrowed the scope down to 13 issues to focus on and eventually highlighted three main problems to address.
Workforce development was at the core of each problem of the manufacturing industry. Almost every company had three things in common:
- Workforce acquisition. Manufacturers needed to know where the future workforce was coming from and what skills they would bring to the table.
- Workforce incumbent training. Manufacturers needed to train their current employees and give them new skills to adapt to modern technology.
- Continuous improvement. Manufacturing companies could not rest on their current skill sets and needed to embrace new processes, technologies, and systems. The workforce had to keep up with these changes.
If the Anoka Area Chamber wanted to support and recruit manufacturing firms, it needed to invest in the local workforce. A healthy community with skilled workers could support any industry that moved to the region.
Chamber Members Started Working With the School District
Once the Anoka Chamber identified workforce support gaps, it began filling those holes by building partnerships. LeTourneau met with the Anoka-Hennepin School District superintendent to discuss how the current curriculum could support local businesses. The business community started sitting in on curriculum planning meetings to make sure the standards kept up with what local companies needed. By the 2017-2018 school year, students could keep up with modern manufacturing standards by using a new curriculum designed to meet the standards of modern manufacturing.
LeTourneau also wanted to change the narrative that students had to enter four-year university programs after high school. Many students would be better suited to enter a trade but felt pressured to enter a post-secondary institution instead.
“We always look at trades as less than desirable, and that’s not fair,” says LeTourneau. “As business owners, we need to invest in students who want to enter the trades and support them.” These are great careers, excellent pay, clean modern worksites, excellent culture, and places where someone can do work that can change the world.
These efforts changed how students learned. They are able to learn applicable skills and develop career paths that may or may not include college coursework after graduation. Students now have better training and more options, while manufacturers now have access to a relevant and eager workforce to pull from.
The Chamber Continues to Invest in Programs to Promote Manufacturing Skills Development
Supporting K-12 initiatives helps with workforce acquisition, or preparing future workers, but a strong community also supports the employees who already live here. This is where programs like Drive for Five and the Dual-Training Pipeline grants come in.
The Anoka Chamber uses its Drive for Five grant money to provide a smoother transition for people leaving school or training programs so they can better enter long-term careers. Graduation can feel like a vast precipice for many students who aren’t sure how to find work or don’t know where they can apply their skills and education.
Workers who participate in this program have a shared experience with an employer for two years. LeTourneau calls this, “a mutual agreement to interview each other.” The employee gets to experience multiple aspects of the organization and try out different roles. This helps them decide what path forward they would like to take. The employer can then further train that employee until they are established in their career.
The Dual-Training Pipeline provides grants for existing employees to attend classes and grow their skills. They complete 16 academic credits over a nine-month program at Anoka Technical College. The program is designed so students apply what they learned in the classroom immediately to their careers, receiving simultaneous classroom and on-the-job training. This grant supports workers who have been in their fields for a few years or several decades. All they need is a desire to grow.
A Strong Community Sets the Minnesota Technology Corridor Apart
Anoka County and surrounding areas provide unparalleled support for manufacturing companies and businesses across other industries that move to the area. However, these efforts didn’t develop overnight. LeTourneau emphasizes that it is hard for a single person or a single organization to change the culture of the region on its own. The Anoka Area Chamber needed buy-in from existing businesses, K-12 schools, community colleges, and countless other stakeholders. Continuous improvement is fueled by collaboration.
The local workforce is one of the Minnesota Technology Corridor's strongest assets. While there are countless location advantages to moving your business to the region, the availability of skilled workers who are eager to learn makes this region stand out. Discover the Minnesota Technology Corridor and the benefits of coming here.