WHAT’S HAPPENING…
Workforce Development continues
to be a high priority for the VHEDC.
Our Workforce Advisory Committee
is comprised of a variety of industry
partners and community stakeholders.
We continue to form new strategic
partnerships to leverage opportunities.
VHEDC and White Bear Lake Area
Schools continue to partner through the
GenZ Skills and Careers in Manufacturing
Pathway, which provides exposure to
manufacturing careers to area high
school students.
In addition,
in early
January 2019
the VHEDC
was one of
five grant
recipients in
the State to
receive the
Minnesota
Department
of Labor and Industry’s Youth Skills
Training Grant. The grant, valued at
$95,000, will launch a new partnership
initiative called the NE Manufacturing
Education (NEME) Partnership and will
create new paid, hands-on manufacturing
opportunities for students in Roseville
Area Schools, North St. Paul/Maplewood/
Oakdale Area Schools, Mounds View
Area Schools, White Bear Lake Area
Schools and AFSA High School.
Community Building Events continue to
be a focus of the VHEDC. Events such as
the NE Metro Community Business Expo
and the NE Metro Job Fairs provide
multiple opportunities for businesses to
connect with the community in ways that
grow economic vitality for the Northeast
Metro region. Calendar of events:
vhedc.com/calendar.
New Developments: VHEDC partners
with the City of Vadnais Heights to
assist with community development
projects. 2018 saw the opening of several
businesses in the area including the
Vadnais Heights HealthEast Clinic, a new
Midwest ENT and SPIRE Credit Union.
HR Connections Group: In 2018, the
VHEDC launched an HR Connections
group serving area HR professionals
and service providers. This group meets
once a month to discuss topics including:
Employee Recruitment and Retention,
Employee Benefits, Employment Law,
Representatives from White Bear Lake Area Schools and the United Way with former VHEDC Executive Ling Becker at the
WLBAS 2018 Career Pathways Expo. In 2015 the United Way awarded WBLAS a $250,000 grant to create a Manufacturing
Pathway at South Campus high school.
Respectful Workplace Communications
and more. Check out vhedc.com/
calendar for more information.
Thank you, Sophia
Schmidt, 2018
VHEDC Intern!
Schmidt, a student
from the University
of Wisconsin-
Madison, is majoring
in Community and
Nonprofit Leadership,
Biology and Global Health. She assisted
with several events and communication
duties. Schmidt wrote the article about
the nonprofit Wunderkammer Tech and
Training Exploratorium on page 60.
NE Metro Nonprofit Collaborative: The
VHEDC values the important role that
area nonprofits play in ensuring a thriving
local economy. To support nonprofits
in much the same way as we support
private businesses, we have an initiative
known as the NE Metro Nonprofit
Collaborative: Partners for Good. The
cohort group of area nonprofit leaders
meet several times throughout the year
to connect, learn and build community
capacity together. For more information,
visit www.vhedc.com/partnersforgood
Business Anniversaries and Significant
Milestones: 2018 was a significant
milestone for a few area businesses
that have long histories of success in
the community and beyond. Innovize
celebrated its 60th Anniversary, and IC
System celebrated its 80th year of doing
business! In addition, 2018 marked the
15th anniversary of H.B. Fuller’s presence
on the New York Stock Exchange. To
celebrate, CEO Jim Owens and team
were in New York to ring the closing bell
at the Exchange.
Ling
Becker
Resigns
from
VHEDC
In February 2019, the VHEDC Board
accepted the resignation of Ling
Becker, Executive Director since
2014. Ling will be the Director of
Workforce Solutions for Ramsey
County, where she will have
responsibilities for providing overall
vision and leadership to provide
workforce development services for
job seekers and businesses. VHEDC
Board President Debby Gustafson
says, “Ling’s time with the VHEDC
has been a significant turning point
in our organization. We’ve impacted
the NE Metro community through
a variety of new programs and
initiatives initiated during Ling’s
tenure. We’re excited for her as she
pursues her next career opportunity
and wish her the very best.”
vhedc.com
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