Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation

Purpose: To bring experienced training staff to the employer’s location to provide specialized
job training and work site English with an emphasis on industry-specific terminology and understanding task directions

The project takes a multi-county, multi-partner approach focusing on the large Somali, Asian, and Hispanic populations in the region. Efforts are focused on the needs of employers, by going in and holding focus groups and individual meetings to determine workforce cultures within the companies. Job retention is fostered through improving workers’ skills, obtaining certifications, and advancement pathways. Desired outcomes are higher wages and advancements and supervisory skills within a career. A team from within each industry determines the requisite skills, knowledge and abilities for advancement and then, along with the education professionals, designs the training. Different employers focus their training programs on different specific needs, ranging from manufacturing terminology for limited English speakers to training in the latest processes and equipment in order to introduce a new technology.

	Partners: (As of April 2003)
		Educational: None
		Employers and business organization: ConAgra Foods, McNeilus Manufacturing, Michaels Foods
		Non-Profit Organizations: None
		Public philanthropic, and other organizations: Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation
	Participants: Entry-level, low-wage custodial parents in southeast and south central Minnesota
	Recruitment: Participating employers identify employees to be trained
	Training: Training, on the job site during paid work time, includes job-specific hard skills for all participants, and may include some soft skills components for a few participants. The total time varies from employer to employer but 40 to 50 hours appears to be typical
	Support Services: The program offers any specific support services required by participants. These are either provided by the firms’ Human Resources departments or referred to other services outside the business
	Job placement, retention and advancement: Focus groups with participants and on-the-job mentoring are provided. The program creates an available labor pool for advanced and supervisory positions within the firm