Best State To Raise a Family
(WalletHub, 1st in 2020; 2nd in 2021)
From service to shop floor: connecting veterans to manufacturing careers in Central Minnesota
27 Oct 2025
News
Each year, around 200,000 Americans who bravely served our country transition out of the military, and many seek the support they need to embark on new career journeys that harness their talents and foster their growth. It’s also very important to remember that more than 760,000 Americans serve in the reserves and National Guard – most of them working in the civilian labor force in addition to their military duties.
There are currently more than 285,000 current and former U.S. military service members living in Minnesota, nearly 140,000 of whom are of working age. Nearly 40,000 veterans call the 13 counties of Central Minnesota home. Of veterans between the ages of 18-64 in Central Minnesota, 78% are in the labor force, that’s more than 13,000 Central Minnesota veterans.
More Topics
On Wednesday the House Capital Investment Committee stopped in Fairmont to view and hear about a street reconstruction project that’s being considered for inclusion in a 2026 Capital Investment Bill. The $10.9 million dollar projects include an extension of Fairlakes Avenue from Hengen Street to Lake Avenue and a Charles...
The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) today announced nearly $2.3 million for five site redevelopment and demolition projects statewide. The projects will collectively create or retain 269 jobs, increase local tax bases by $2.4 million and leverage over $157.9 million in private investment.The four grants from DEED's...
The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) has awarded $69 million from the Minnesota Forward Fund (MFF) to four business expansion and job training projects. The projects are expected to directly create 215 new jobs, provide job training to more than 800 Minnesotans and leverage more than $353...