June 11, 2024

Drive for 5 Initiative

In response to the nearly 200,000 jobs remaining open in Minnesota after the short but severe pandemic recession in 2020, Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan created the Drive for 5 initiative to create sector partnerships across the state and help fill in-demand positions in technology, the trades, caring professions, manufacturing, and education. This initiative is focused on those five occupational groupings because they are in high demand, are projected to be high-growth, and provide family-sustaining wages. Drive for 5 focuses on moving Minnesotans into high-growth employment opportunities with family sustainable wages and prioritizes training for populations that face some of the most significant barriers to employment: people of color, people with disabilities, and those that face other systemic barriers.

The Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) is overseeing the rollout of this initiative and has prioritized funding partnerships that will provide employment and training opportunities to prepare people for the occupations identified within Drive for 5. DEED anticipates that as a result of Drive for 5, the state will see a major improvement in alignment with statewide and regionally-specific labor market needs for these in-demand career fields, increased collaboration with local workforce boards to understand demands in each local area, and the creation or expansion of long-lasting sector partnerships and responsive education and training programs.

The Legislature provided $20 million over two years for Drive for 5, divided amongst three required components—one of which was specifically geared towards trade associations or chambers of commerce to carry out diversity, equity, inclusion, and retention training of their members to increase the business’ understanding of welcoming and retaining a diverse workforce. The Duluth Chamber team is proud to announce that our Chamber has been awarded $190,000 in funding through this grant opportunity!

The funds will be used to provide one-on-one DEI consulting to members, expand the Commitment to Change DEI workshop offerings, add a new DEI Summit event, and grow the second annual Women in Leadership Conference. The community partners who will help bring these newly-expanded DEI offerings to life will include the Duluth Workforce Development Board, Lake Superior College, Jebeh Cultural Consulting, and many other talented DEI experts among our community and membership.