Web-based welcome mat seeks diverse talent
Over 70 organizations and community members across the Twin Cities decided to create a web-based platform designed to attract and retain talent in the 16-county metro area. The goal is to solve the imminent worker deficit of nearly 100,000 people by year 2020. A partner of Make It.MSP, Megan Burke, says this collaboration is set on shifting the perception of MSP (Minneapolis-St. Paul) into that of a thriving, collaborative, cutting-edge culture within the tech industry.
“We’re high on nearly every list ranking great places to live and work in the U.S., but we’re still not on the radar for many professionals starting their careers or looking for a new opportunity,” stated Michael Langley, CEO of Greater MSP, in a press release. “
The Greater MSP region has one of the world’s most vibrant economies and is one of the best places in the world to live. The goal of this initiative is to tell that story.”
According to Greater MSP, with this initiative the community is coming together to take action on an issue that is critical to the near-term and long-term growth and prosperity of our region and to securing the workforce of the future.
Make It.MSP researchers say professionals of color are the fastest growing group of Minnesota’s workforce. However, research shows that as a state Minnesota is not retaining professionals of color in the MSP region at the same rate as White professionals.
“We are committed to building a Minneapolis-Saint Paul region where people of color are fully engaged and thriving,” stated Bryan P. Joyce, director of Minneapolis American Indian Center and partner with Make It.MSP. While professionals of color are the fastest growing group in the workforce, the makers of Make It.MSP are also targeting young adults and households with children.
Researchers have noticed that these targeted groups share the common goal of securing a job with global impact and a high quality of life in an area that values community and connection.
During the news conference, Doug Baker, chief executive of Ecolab, Inc., cited the adage “It’s very difficult to get people to move to Minneapolis-Saint Paul but impossible to get them to leave.” One group the Twin Cities does struggle to retain is singles. The strategy to solve this challenge is to get them more socially connected.
The Greater Twin Cities hopes young adults follow the footsteps of Frank Alarcon, a 24-year-old Bay Area native who decided to move to the Twin Cities because he thought this was the best place in the U.S. to live. Alarcon networked for over a year with more than 100 people who moved from El Salvador to the Twin Cities, he said.
“To me, the generosity I encountered was very much a validation of my decision to move here.” Alarcon got a job at SiteImprove and said his first 30 days in Minnesota have exceeded his expectations.
“I love the Midwestern values” says Sarah McCollum Roberts, an executive at Cargill Inc. Roberts grew up in Apple Valley and spent her career life abroad and in Texas, moving back to Minnesota with her husband to raise their children. Make It.MSP provides her with a platform to tell her story and inform potential residents why they too should move to Minneapolis-Saint Paul.
Make It.MSP founders believe people want to have a personal connection to where they choose to live. This website includes a Q&A dashboard on its home page for locals like Roberts to connect with potential residents, photos and videos of the region, maps, and a customized job board filled with open positions.
With partnership and commitment, this initiative has big plans: Improve social inclusion, support innovative talent, connect talent to community, connect talent to employers and close near-term talent gaps.
Visit http://makeitmsp.org for more information about the initiative.
Mys Helen Martin welcomes reader response at mmartin.facesofchange@gmail.com.
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