St. Cloud, Minn. – Career Solutions, a partner of CareerForce- St. Cloud has been recognized by the Minnesota Association of Workforce Boards (MAWB) with a Promising Practices award for their Discovery Days provided to job seekers!

Career Solutions has partnered with the St. Cloud Technical & Community College and local businesses to develop two 3-hour, bi-monthly Discovery Day workshops for job seekers. Job Seekers can “try a career” for the day and get all their questions answered about their career of interest. They started with a Transportation/CDL Discovery Day and a Welding Discovery Day so far as these careers are a few that are currently in high demand in their region.

Discovery Day workshops are comprised of two parts which include local labor market information from employers and hands-on career activities with program instructors. They have an employer panel so the job seekers can get all their questions answered from those who work in these positions as well as hands on activities with a semi-truck/ bus and welding equipment, depending on the workshop. During these Discovery Day workshops, job seekers can learn about:

  • Requirements for the positions
  • The abundant job openings, great wages, company perks from these local employers
  • Insight and advice from the local workers in these positions
  • Welding tools, equipment and safety gear and performing basic welds for Welding Discovery Day
  • Climbing into a semi- truck, checking out equipment and conducting pre-trip inspections for CDL Discovery Day
  • And…get all their questions answered to see if the career is right for them!

Eventually Career Solutions would like to expand Discovery Days into other high demand careers.

Jobseeker Impact
Career Solutions invites their job seeker clients as well as the public. If Discovery Day participants are currently enrolled in one of the Career Solutions programs, they have access to retraining benefits if they wish to pursue training in these areas. If participants are not a client, Career Solutions informs them of the Dislocated Worker Program, WIOA Adult or WIOA Young Adult programs and discusses potential retraining options and services through these programs.

Career Solutions has had great jobseeker turnout for these events. These workshops have really given the participants the knowledge and insight to determine if they are interested in pursuing these high demand careers.

Employer/Community Impact
Benefits for Employers:

  • Employers are invited to participate at the bi-monthly Discovery Days to showcase their company, career opportunities and company perks.
  • Employers are invited to come back and connect and network with training grads to help fill their openings.
  • Career Solutions recognizes employer sponsors via social media.
  • Employers are recognized as community partners.

Overall, Career Solutions is helping to fill the gap in these high demand roles in their community. It is a win-win for all!

Tammy Biery

According to Career Solutions Executive Director Tammy Biery, “We are thrilled to receive this Promising Practices award for our work with our career Discovery Days. It is a team effort. We want to set our job seekers up for success, so they know exactly what they are getting into before starting their journey to a new career. We are so grateful for our employer partners who have stepped up to share all their valuable insight regarding their career opportunities. They have been amazing. We are also thankful for our continued partnership with SCTCC and are happy that they can provide the hands-on exploration piece…which is an important part of the discovery process. We are hoping to continue to grow and expand our Discovery Days into other areas as well.”

The MAWB has published this promising practice to promote the development and implementation of similar programs in Workforce Development Areas in other regions across the State of Minnesota.

About Career Solutions:
The Local Workforce Development Board, along with the Joint Powers Board, is responsible for the policy guidance and oversight of all job training and job placement activities in Stearns and Benton Counties. Since its beginning in 1988 as Stearns-Benton Employment & Training Council, Career Solutions has provided quality employment and training services to youth and adults and is dedicated to increasing the economic vitality of Central Minnesota workforce. Career Solutions provides assistance in building a skilled workforce – workers who can do the jobs of today and learn the jobs of tomorrow.