May Business Highlight
Innovance
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Congratulations to Innovance Inc, out of Albert Lea for earning the 2018 ‘Best Places to Work’ award!
Innovance is the holding company for a family of five 100% employee owned companies (Almco, Lou-Rich, Panels Plus, Mass Finishing, Midland Technologies). They share a common goal of working together to grow their ESOP value and become the most respected companies in their perspective communities. Their unique mix of industrial manufacturing capabilities assures their customers they’re committed to providing a solution to any need they may have.
I had the privilege to connect with Roxanne Ponce, Human Resource Manager at Innovance, and asked her the following questions:
What led your company to apply for the best places to work award?
Innovance is extremely proud of the culture we have created. Our talented and caring employees make the culture what it is today. Because of them we have outstanding safety, wellness, training and benefit programs. We feel it was important to apply to show all the hard work that goes into creating a great place to work. Our employees take pride in their work and we take pride in them. We also find it interesting to hear what other employers are doing in the area and how we compare to other employers. Information received is used to brainstorm ideas for the following year.
What does good company culture look like to you?
If there is one phrase that best describes the culture of Innovance and its employees, it is “We Care”. Our employee-owners work side-by-side with customers to help make their products better. But just as important is the amount of care our employees have for each other and the community. We are always helping others in need, and employ-owners donate a significant amount of time and treasure to help our community.
Where do you see Innovance heading in the future?
First of all, Innovance is thankful for the strong foundation provided by its founders and past leadership. The infrastructure they built has allowed us to grow and prosper for nearly 50 years. Today we operate five businesses that provide industrial solutions to hundreds of manufacturing companies. And frankly, we believe our future is limited only by the imaginations of our employee-owners. We will continue to lead, nurture, and grow our existing companies, and we will pursuit buying additional industrial companies that are complementary.
As you may gather from the responses, Innovance cares deeply about their employees and customers, which will lead to their continued growth and success as a ‘Best Place to Work.’
Submitted by:Rebecca Zoubek, Career Planner, WDI
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SNAP Employment and Training Equity Grant
Several years ago, WDI Dodge County had the unique opportunity of becoming part of a human services merger with Steele and Waseca counties, known as MN Prairie County Alliance. Through this partnership, Dodge County has been fortunate to be included in the Region 5 MN DEED SNAP Equity Grants which began in December of 2016. The Equity Grant focuses on low-income communities, young adults from families with a history of generational poverty and communities of color throughout 25 counties in central and southwest Minnesota. The goal of the grant is to increase credential attainment, including GED’s, increase employability and self-sufficiency, and increase access to higher growth and high wage jobs through providing work readiness skills and wrap around supports. Dodge County has served 16 individuals through this grant, connecting them with additional services to achieve their goals.
Submitted by: Desirae Dyke, Career Planner, WDI
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Spotlight on Community Partners
Kasson Public Library
With growing communities in Dodge County, the collaboration between the Kasson Public Library and Workforce Development Inc. has been integral in providing well-rounded services to job seekers. Residents of Dodge County are able to establish an account through the Kasson Public Library to access a variety of online courses called, Gale Courses Online. Through tutorials and 6 week courses, customers are able to complete additional free training in computer and technology applications, personal enrichment, and professional development. With over 360 different courses, customers have been able to advance their skills and help build their resume. The Kasson Public Library has also been a great partner for work experiences through our Young Adult/Youth Program, providing mentorship and building work readiness skills to area youth.
Submitted by: Desirae Dyke, Career Planner, WDI
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MaxAbility Reverse Job Fair
Rochester, Minnesota
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As of February 2019, the unemployment rate for individuals with disabilities was 9.1 percent, more than double the rate for those without disabilities, which is 3.9 percent (United States Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy). This statistic illustrates a significant opportunity for individuals with disabilities in the job market who are eager and ready to work. By highlighting talents and equipping business owners with the tools they need to hire differently, Maxability strives to increase possibilities for this untapped labor market. Maxability hosted the 2
nd
Annual Reverse Job Fair on Wednesday, April 24
th
at the Woodlake Meeting Center in Rochester, MN.
What is a reverse job fair?
Imagine a traditional job fair, where recruiters stand behind tables and jobseekers walk around to find opportunities, and then flip it! At a reverse job fair, employers are encouraged to walk around and talk with job seekers stationed at tables to find the right person for their open positions. This makes the prospect of a job fair less intimidating for jobseekers and allows businesses to focus on
finding the right talent.
MaxAbility partnered with Nancy Joyce, Project SEARCH instructor, as well as Community Rehabilitation Partners from Ability Building Center, LJ&A, Opportunity Services, Pearl Consulting, and PossAbilities to invite jobseekers to participate. The MaxAbility team provided training on professionalism and interview preparation to the 20 participants before the job fair. Representatives from several companies across different industries attended the fair and gave positive feedback on the format. MaxAbility also offered a free Disability Awareness and Etiquette training for businesses to boost their confidence in recruiting these skilled candidates.
The event was a huge success! 16 potential employers connected with 20 candidates that directed these job seekers to positions which match their skills and interests. We are still following up with employers and candidates to see how many interviews or hires have happened in the days following the fair. With or without an actual job hire, the event could be considered a success for the participating job seekers who were able to practice telling their story and building confidence. We hope to continue to grow this event next year given the positive reception and support from the community. MaxAbility will continue to be a trusted resource network for regional businesses.
The next event will be on Wednesday, June 26th. It will cover recruiting more people with disabilities in your company through intern/externships, job tours, and job tryouts. To register for “
An Interactive Discussion on Discovering Talent
,” click on the following link:
http://bit.ly/MaxAbility2019June
Submitted by: Dawn Kirchner, Diversity Recruitment Specialist, Mayo Clinic
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"This was a great experience to meet new people, and I wish more companies would come and learn from each other." ~Kadie Paxton
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Best Places to Work 2019
For the past nine years Workforce Development, Inc. has offered a unique recruitment tool to local employers who want to stand out among the hiring competition. This year twelve Southeast Minnesota companies representing Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Rice, Steele and Wabasha counties were recognized as a "Best Place to Work".
The purpose of the “Best Places to Work” program is to recognize some of the best employers in our local area and
provide vital information to companies about the practices they use to attract and retain employees.
Each company participating was required to complete a 40-question survey that allowed their employment practices to
be analyzed by the consulting firm of Personnel Dynamics Consulting of Florida. The data was measured on such
parameters as: turnover, rate of growth, promotion rates, employee evaluations and feedback, percentage of employee
injured, diversity of management, benefits offered, training expenditures, paid days off and increase in pay.
Every company participating in the survey receives a detailed 20-page report detailing the information on their company
and the results of the survey.
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Small Employer Category
(Under 75 Employees)
Southeast Service Cooperative- Rochester
Custom Alarm- Rochester
Farmers State Bank- Albert Lea
Albert Lea Seed House Inc.- Albert Lea
Mid-Size Employer Category
(75-200 Employees)
Benike Construction- Rochester
Cooperative Response Center-Austin
Austin Utilities- Austin
Tier1 Water- Zumbrota
Large Employer Category
(Over 200 Employees)
Olmsted Medical Center- Rochester
Gemini, Inc.- Canon Falls
Innovance Inc.-Albert Lea
Pace Dairy Foods- Rochester
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Spotlight on: Rod Anderson
Director of Information Technology
Cooperative Response Center
Why did you decide on a career in Information Technology and who/what influenced you to decide on this career choice?
I’ve been in the IT world for over 45 years, back before it was even called IT. Back then it was just electronics and I got my start in Military where I pursued an Electrical Engineering degree from Air Force University. Then I eventually got a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Networking & Software. Eventually I got my management degree as my career progressed.
IT is a vast field, how did you decide what are of it to focus on? What areas would you tell people interested in going back to school for IT to focus on?
When I talk with students considering the field I tell them that Hardware is best for people who like hands on and getting their hands dirty. Software is better suited for people who like thinking about things and develop a knack for math based languages.
Are there any IT positions that someone would be able to get with less than a BA & if so what training should they look at for those positions?
There may be a few in help desk support or hardware, but it really is key to have a Bachelor’s degree to get the education and experience necessary, especially for software. You need a degree really, that’s all there is to it.
When a lot of people think about going into IT, they think of moving to Silicon Valley and paying $3000 a month to live in someone’s broom closet. Are their good IT opportunities in SE MN?
There are great opportunities in Southern Minnesota. There are so many companies moving in and growing in our region that are just now beginning to realize that they should hard a software person supporting their operations. I actually think we’ll see a rise in consulting where companies will rent a technician or rent a programmer for a project.
That said, in Southern Minnesota you are much more likely to be the one IT person for an entire company so you’ve got to have some experience in everything, software and hardware. That’s that hard part, because you have to be self-reliant.
At CRC you have developed some extensive proprietary software that is the backbone of your call center operations. How do you work with the Service Operations to refine the software to meet their needs?
That’s a special question that gets to the heart of our department. The first few weeks after I hire an IT person, I have them sit on the floor with our dispatchers and customer service reps. This enables them to #1 appreciate what they (the reps) do and #2, understand that your job as an IT person to work for these CSR’s. Those people you’re sitting with, that’s who you work for. They don’t work for you, they are your internal customer.
I imagine one of the big challenges with IT is the pace of change and new technology? What is the most effective way you’ve found to keep your skills current?
Keep your mind open. I’ve gone through so many phases in the IT world over the years, and it drastically changes every two years. Reading articles, updating certifications, and think about where the field is headed. About 5 years ago we did a complete rewrite to our software and we’re already rewriting it again today.IT is a good field for someone who is curious and always open to change.
Any Final thoughts?
The IT industry changes all the time, but that’s why it’s so exciting. At CRC, be part of our culture is to be like a family. We like being able to be connected to our local communities as well. IT isn’t just computers and writing code, it’s really about the people. Our job is to work for the users of our systems and support them so they can do the best job serving our customers.
Thanks for taking the time & congratulations again on CRC being voted a Best Places to Work in SE Minnesota for a 7
th
straight time!
Submitted by: Mike Postma, Career Planner and Placement Specialist, WDI
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WDI April All-Staff
Three times per year all of Workforce Development, Inc.'s staff get together to learn and celebrate. In April the staff gathered at Woodlake Convention Center to learn about safely navigating social media, human trafficking and best practices on supporting LGBTQ individuals. At this baseball themed event, awards were given for performance and time of service. In addition, Randy Johnson was recognized for his 34 years of service to the agency as he prepares to retire at the end of June, 2019.
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Melissa Olson, Pam Erickson, Debbie Zamora and Beth Christensen received "Diamond Plus" awards.
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Dee Slinde, Emily Yang, Anisha Zak, Zaid Al Showbacki, David LeGarde and Kim Buysse received "Circle of Excellence" awards.
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SE Minnesota Employment Trends
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Workforce Development, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Program Provider and a proud partner of the American Job Center Network.
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