NEWS RELEASE

St. Paul, MN  – Four grants from the state Dislocated Worker Program are helping 275 former manufacturing workers prepare for job searches, retrain, and return to work.

“The Dislocated Worker Program helps workers transition to new careers and lessens the stress that layoffs can have on individuals, families and communities,” said Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) Commissioner Dan McElroy.

The four Dislocated Worker Program grants are:

· Vital Signs, Burnsville, $275,800. Dislocated Worker services will be available to 65 eligible former employees of Vital Signs. Those most in need of dislocated worker services include older workers, primary wage earners, workers without health insurance, those with Adult Basic Education needs, those without a high school diploma, and those with limited English language skills. Specialized services will include on-site outreach, intake, orientation sessions, and employment planning sessions. Support services will include translation services, transportation, child care, and emergency assistance. Prevocational training will include ESL, GED, computing, and ABE. Occupational training will be available for these workers.   

Local contact: David L. Jensen, Career Management Services, 763-253-9172.

Web site: http://www.employersinc.com

· Digital River, Eden Prairie, $280,000. Dislocated Worker services will be available to 70 eligible former employees. Digital River provides e-commerce services to more than 40,000 companies worldwide. Headquartered in Eden Prairie, the company’s global expansion created a need for 24-hour customer service and a multilingual call center. The company outsourced this part of the operation to a company in Tennessee. The customer service and call center employees represented 6 percent of Digital River’s total staff. Intensive career counseling, retraining for new careers, and assistance with resume preparation and interviewing will be among services available.

Local contact: Pam Kling, Employment Action Center, 651-642-0738.

Web site: http://www.eac-mn.org

· Andersen Windows, Bayport, $292,500. Dislocated Worker services will be available to 65 eligible former employees of Andersen Corporation in Bayport affected by the downturn in the housing and construction industry. Those most in need of services include primary wage earners, long-term employees, and those without current skills in other areas. Customized services and workshops will include resume writing, job search and interviewing skills, and career counseling. A networking group will be developed, and former employees have created their own Yahoo networking group.

Local contact: Robert Crawford, Washington County WorkForce Center, 651-275-8660.

Web site: http://mnwfc.org/washingtoncounty/

· Good Samaritan Society, Roseville, $355,000. Dislocated Worker services will be available to 75 workers affected by this layoff. The Good Samaritan Society had been providing care to the elderly since 1959; however, the facility had become outdated and lacked the amenities needed for long-term care.

Those most in need of services are primary wage earners and mature workers in need of job-search assistance. Customized services will include basic computer skills, job search, resume writing, and interviewing skills.

Local contact: Wayne Young, Ramsey County Workforce Solutions, 651-779-5087.

Web site: htrtp://www.co.ramsey.mn.us/workforce

The Dislocated Worker Program, which is both state and federally funded, is administered through the Workforce Development Division of DEED. The grants go directly to the service provider that helps affected workers find new jobs. DEED consults with the affected workers prior to awarding these grants to any specific provider.