Workforce & Training
The population expansion bodes well for companies that need an available workforce to fuel their growth. Employers hire the majority of their skilled workforce from Steele County. They also tap rich talent pools in the neighboring five counties as well as in the Twin Cities, Rochester and Mankato — all within commuting distance.
Quarterly Censue of Employment and Wages
Workforce Development Resources
The population expansion bodes well for companies that need an available workforce to fuel their growth. Employers hire the majority of their skilled workforce from Steele County. They also tap rich talent pools in the neighboring five counties as well as in the Twin Cities, Rochester and Mankato — all within commuting distance.
Workforce Development (PDF)
Owatonna College & University Center
This shared, state-of-the-art campus provides certification, degree programs and customized training through six accredited institutions:
- Riverland Community College
- Concordia University – St. Paul
- Crown College
- Minnesota State University – Mankato
- Southwest Minnesota State University – Marshall
- University of St. Thomas
The Center is a national model of cooperative education, offering two-year, four-year and graduate programs in several disciplines. Employers can tap trained workers from the certificate and associate of arts technical trade programs. They also can access specialized training programs designed to meet their unique workforce development training needs.
http://www.riverland.edu/discover/owatonna.cfm
Gainey Conference Center
The University of St. Thomas’ Gainey Conference Center is a corporate meeting and retreat center that can accommodate groups of 10-70 for retreats, mid-day conferences, or day-long meetings.www.stthomas.edu/gainey
Business & Professional Organizations
Owatonna’s professional associations provide forums for employee interaction and growth. Active local chapters include:
- American Production Inventory Control Society (APICS)
- American Quality Society (AQS)
- Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME)
- Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
- Steele County Safety Council
- Owatonna Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism
Minnesota Job Skills Partnership Program
This state-wide program awards training grants of up to $400,000 to local educational institutions and partnering businesses. The grant can be used to train employees in new or existing jobs.
Workforce Recruitment
Owatonna offers growing a strong available workforce. It also attracts skilled employees from five neighboring counties and metro areas within commuting distance – namely Minneapolis/St. Paul, Rochester and Mankato.
Recruiting Resources
Employers rely on local Temp/Placement firms to access available workers. They also take advantage of several not-for-profit resources:
- Placement Office – Owatonna College & University Center – 507-433-0374
- Minnesota Workforce Center – 507-455-5850
- Owatonna People’s Press (employment ads) — 507-451-2840
- Owatonna Public Schools – www.owatonna.k12.mn.us