State of Minnesota Announces $2.4 Million for Agriculture Focused Workforce Training

(KNSI) — The State of Minnesota is investing $2.4 million to help grow careers in agriculture.

The new Growing Careers Program will help up and coming farmers and skilled workers to fill in-demand jobs across the state by awarding grants up to $500,000 for partners to develop training programs. This program is designed for people looking for a fresh start, especially those who have lost a job, come from a low-income household, or need help building new skills.

The goal is to connect people with good jobs and create a pipeline of well-trained workers for employers, from traditional farms to the new legal cannabis industry.

According to the Department of Economic Development’s Minnesota Occupations in Demand tool, demand for many farming-related careers is projected to grow at an above-average rate over the next 10 years, including:

Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians, up 14%
Industrial Truck and Tractor Drivers, up 5.8%
Supervisors of Farming, Fishing and Forestry Workers, up 4.5%

Officials say the program will provide the hands-on training, paid work experience, and support needed to land a stable, long-term career. The new program is funded by a grant from the Minnesota Job Skills Partnership.

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