March's Immigrant and Refugee Affairs Forum Highlights Importance of BIPOC Workforce

This month we covered the importance of attracting and retaining Minnesota’s BIPOC workforce for employers. We also shared transportation resources from Metro Transit and highlighted several workforce programs available here at the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).

Engaging with Minnesota’s BIPOC Workforce

DEED’s Workforce Strategy Consultant, Adesewa Adeseji, shared employers’ best practices for attracting and retaining BIPOC talent. BIPOC engagement is important for all employers because the face of Minnesota’s workforce is changing and will continue to change. And with the current workforce shortage, employees are at an advantage with more employment opportunities, so employers need to be more creative in their hiring efforts. Now is the perfect time to consider talent populations that may have been overlooked by employers.

Some of the advantages of hiring BIPOC employees include increased productivity and creativity thanks to a wider range of experiences and skillsets. Hiring employees with diverse backgrounds can also help companies better understand a more diverse customer base that can give them a competitive advantage. Some recruiting strategies for attracting a more diverse workforce include going out into the BIPOC communities and showing a genuine desire to build relationships with these communities. Companies can show that by participating in local events and celebrations. Having current BIPOC staff involved in developing your company’s recruitment strategies shows employees you care about their input and are putting honest thought into recruitment efforts. Making sure to address potential biases in the application process will also help companies attract diverse talent pools.

Once more people with diverse backgrounds are hired, companies have to make sure these employees feel welcome. Acknowledging and celebrating cultural differences and promoting a “Work to Live” and not a “Live to Work” environment are a couple ways companies can embrace and retain their BIPOC workforce. Supporting career growth through advancement opportunities and remaining competitive with wages, benefits and perks will also set companies up for future success.

Find more information on resources and strategies for engaging with Minnesota’s BIPOC workforce on Careerforcemn.com.

Transportation Services for Immigrant, Refugees and Afghan Evacuees

Yumi Nagaoka, Public Involvement Supervisor, from Metro Transit, shared transportation resources for new Minnesotans.

• Their team offers “How to Ride” presentations that can be taught in a classroom setting or on board one of their trains or buses to groups who want help learning how to ride Metro Transit.

• For those ready to ride, but who don’t speak English, they can use the Language Line which is a free phone service with access to 170 different languages. Customers can call the Language Line at 612-373-3333 to have their transportation-related questions answered.

• The Transit Assistance Program (TAP) allows eligible riders to pay $1 fares for their trips. The program was created to make public transit more affordable for lower income residents. Individuals can enroll in person, online or by mail, and organizations can become partners and sign up their own clients for the TAP pass.

Welcoming Women and Other Underrepresented Groups in Construction

The recent forum also covered a unique opportunity for a good-paying career in the highway construction industry. The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) and DEED provide job training opportunities for women and BIPOC community members who are underrepresented in the highway construction industry. Classes for the Highway Heavy Construction Training and Job Placement begin this spring. If you have questions on this training opportunity, please contact Sylvia Garcia at sylvia.garcia@state.mn.us.

Community Updates

Margaret Odanga from DEED’s Trade Adjustment Assistance Program gave an overview of how they help workers who’ve lost their jobs due to increased foreign trade activity. Once it's determined that the applicant either lost their job or had their hours and wages reduced due to federal trade activity, they can enroll for assistance. Workers may be eligible for training services, job search allowances, relocation allowances and reemployment services. TAA can help trade-impacted workers obtain the skills necessary to gain suitable employment in other high-demand industries. TAA will pay 100 percent of tuition, course fees, books and required supplies and equipment, transportation and other items or services deemed necessary for the completion of an approved occupational skills training program. Since January of 2018, TAA has served 134 individuals that indicated their status as an immigrant or a refugee.