U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar's office will kick off her two-day "Minnesota Workforce Tour" Tuesday with stops throughout northern Minnesota, including Pequot Lakes.
Over the two-day tour, Klobuchar's staff will join with Minnesota business and education leaders in Duluth, Grand Rapids, Cass Lake, Bemidji, Hibbing and Pequot Lakes. At each stop, Klobuchar's staff will discuss local initiatives to bridge the skills gap and boost regional economies and also highlight how Klobuchar-backed initiatives and legislation have strengthened Minnesota's workforce. The meetings are open to the public.
The tour will stop at 3 p.m. Wednesday at the Leech Lake Tribal College in Cass Lake and then at 4 p.m. at Pequot Tool and Manufacturing in Pequot Lakes.
Last year, Klobuchar successfully pushed for a $5 million grant from the Department of Labor to strengthen partnerships between community colleges and local businesses and expand apprenticeship programs. Minnesota Apprentice Initiative was launched with the funding Klobuchar helped secure. MAI employers and colleges will provide updates on how the grant is helping to build a high-skill workforce. As of Feb. 1, there are 115 active MAI apprentices. Participation in the MAI program produces more highly skilled workers, reduces turnover, increases productivity, and builds a more diverse workforce. By 2020, MAI will provide training for 1,000 apprentices in growing fields like advanced manufacturing, agriculture, health care services, information technology and transportation.
Klobuchar will also soon introduce the bipartisan American Apprenticeship Act, which would create and expand tuition assistance programs for participants in pre-apprenticeship and registered apprenticeship programs. For workers, apprenticeships provide an opportunity to stay in the labor market, earn a living wage, and pursue a nationally-recognized credential. For employers, apprenticeships provide a custom trained workforce, reduce turnover, and improve safety outcomes, giving American businesses an edge in the global marketplace. Though evidence indicates that the apprenticeship model is a highly effective training model, it is not widely used by American workers or employers. Klobuchar's bill would expand and support pre-apprenticeships and registered apprenticeships.
