More than 700 students from 22 south central Minnesota high schools toured area manufacturing facilities and post-secondary schools earlier this month to learn about manufacturing career opportunities available in the area. Student participants were able to learn a lot from the tour, regardless of where they are on the career and education planning journey.
“It’s just kind of cool to see what there is out there, I mean learning all the job opportunities and what’s out there,” is what Mankato West High School Junior Evan shared with a KEYC reporter.
“Last year I did it and this year I’m doing even more. I’m just trying to keep my skills going, maybe get into a college, welding school, a job even,” Mankato West Sophomore Ryder told the KEYC reporter.
Some high school teachers who went with students on the tour said they wish such a Tour of Manufacturing was available when they were younger.
“When I was in high school these big buildings were big and scary, so to get on site to see hey they’re not dark they’re not dirty, they’re clean, they’re well-equipped, they’re a modern machining facility,” CTE instructor at Mankato West Tim Quast told KEYC. “So seeing that I think is great.”
There are many employment opportunities in manufacturing in the area. In fact, manufacturing is the second largest industry in South Central Minnesota, accounting for 16.8% of the region's total employment. In 2024, 348 area manufacturing firms provided 17,578 jobs with an average annual wage of $68,190. That’s $12,800 more than annual wages across all industries in the region.
Occupations such as Tool and Die Makers, Machinists, Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers, Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters, and Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators offer median hourly wages between $24.86 and $35.08 making them attractive choices for individuals seeking rewarding careers in the region.
In 2024, Southwest Minnesota had 457 production occupation job openings, with 18% of these positions being part-time, 14% requiring post-secondary education, and 37% needing at least one year of experience. These job opportunities reflect the growing demand for skilled workers in the Manufacturing industry, creating excellent opportunities for job seekers to start or advance their careers.
People can be successful in Manufacturing with a variety of educational backgrounds, ranging from a high school diploma to a bachelor's degree or more. Gaining Manufacturing skills and knowledge early on, such as during high school, can enhance a student's value to employers and provide access to higher-paying jobs at an earlier stage of their career.
- Find out more about all the manufacturing employers and educational institutions that participated on this year’s South Central Tour of Manufacturing.
- For manufacturing industry labor market information (LMI) in South Central Minnesota, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) Regional LMI Analyst at amanda.blaschko@state.mn.us.
- South Central Minnesota employers: want assistance with meeting your manufacturing workforce needs? Contact DEED Regional Workforce Strategy Consultant Becky Zoubek at rebecca.zoubek@state.mn.us.
- Job seekers: want to learn about manufacturing employment opportunities in your area? Contact staff at a CareerForce location near you.
