Agenda - Economic Development Authority - 01/14/2021

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During unprecedented disruption, the Anoka Area Chamber of Commerce and the Manufacturing CoHort effort supported local business by holding communication open, advocating for business, acting as a reliable trusted local resource as well as a sounding board for the frustration that continues inside of this difficult time. Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry Continue to partner and represent the multitude of resource opportunities that are offered by the MN Dpt of Labor. • Served a second term on the review board for the MN Pipeline Dual Training grants. o The office of higher education had officially received and processed 64 applications totally more than $3.7M in grant requests. • Shared, and attended with many of the CoHort members, several of the MN Dual Training Pipeline Speaker Series. o Topics on: Exploring the intersections between the work of equity and inclusion .., Industry workforce trends, discussion on how Pipeline can enhance company diversity, business mentoring and networking etc. An Amazing Connection to Education and Workforce Need Responded and interacted to a request from Manufacture CoHort Trusted Partner, The Village Bank, to identify and meet the need of someone in the community with a monetary donation. • Reached out to the Anoka Technical College to see if there were unmet needs in the student population. • Specifically found two PSEO students who were short on resources and were in need of some gear that would support their education and industry training. If not but for this donation, these students would have been challenged to perform at the appropriate level of other students. They would have been hindered by using borrowed tools or sharing of tools. Because of their age and the lack of access to personal resources, these students would struggle in course work. • Coordinated with the students/instructors/vendor and Village Bank to secure a list of materials and tools that the students could own, and not only use in their course work, but also use throughout their careers. • Early in December a meeting was arranged to present the students with these materials and tools. Everyone that was involved was able to see how the students would use these tools and how much this donation meant to them and the development of the skills that support good careers in manufacturing.