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City of <br />Elk - <br />River <br />Request for Action <br />To <br />Economic Development Authori <br />Item Number <br />6.1 <br />Agenda Section <br />Meeting Date <br />Prepared by <br />General Business <br />February 20, 2018 <br />Amanda Othoudt, EDD <br />Item Description <br />Reviewed by <br />Youth Skills Training Program <br />Cal Portner, City Administrator <br />Action Requested <br />Hear presentation on the Youth Skills Training Program. <br />Background/Discussion <br />Earlier this month, staff participated in a roundtable discussion put together by the Minnesota <br />Manufacturing Workforce Partnership. The goal of the meeting was to build partnerships among <br />stakeholders of the Minnesota manufacturing industry and restructure and accelerate the Minnesota <br />workforce education system to better meet the demands of Minnesota's manufacturing industry. <br />One of the programs discussed was the newly created Youth Skills Training (YST) Program headed by <br />the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry. The YST program allows companies to introduce <br />teenagers ages 16-17 into high-growth, high -demand occupations such as healthcare, manufacturing, <br />agriculture, and IT. <br />The most common thing we hear during our BR&E visits is the lack of skilled workforce. Workman's <br />Compensation Insurance and Federal laws have previously limited the ability to recruit high school <br />students to work for their companies. <br />With the new legislation, coupled with the MN Child Labor program exemption, "student -learners" are <br />allowed to obtain both academic credit and employment training under a written school -work training <br />program agreement between the school and the employer. <br />The State Legislator appropriated $500,000 to the YST program in the form of grant funding for up to <br />five pilot programs in Minnesota, with each of those communities receiving $100,000. <br />Letter of Intent to apply for the program is April 5, 2018. The grant applications open April 6, 2018, <br />through May 4, 2018. The Elk River School District is anticipated to apply for the grant in 2018. <br />Financial Impact <br />N/A <br />Attachments <br />Guide to Minnesota Student Learners in Manufacturing <br />DIL Presentation February 8, 2018 <br />The Elk River Vision <br />A nelcoming community nvith revolutionary and spirited resourcefulness, exceptional p o w E A E u e r <br />service, and community engagement that encourages and inspires prosperity ,� g /� <br />