Your Opportunity to Help Address Our Region's Childcare Issues

In today's newsletter, I've highlighted an opportunity for you to help us make improvements to childcare in Greater Mankato as well as two new events. First, Region Nine Development Commission is releasing their guide to hiring international students on February 13 and we are partnering with Region 9 to host the inaugural South Central Minnesota Workforce Summit on May 20. Register to attend the February 13 event and save the date for May 20!

?Whole Community Approach to Childcare - We Need Your Help

In partnership with the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation and Business of Childcare, an activation plan designed to help address some critical childcare needs has been developed. In this blog post, you can see the high level summary of the plan and for a more in-depth look you have two options. First, the 42-page detailed plan is linked in that document. Second, in an interesting AI application a 20 minute podcast describing that document was developed. (You need to be signed in to a Google account for that podcast link to work.)

Whole Community Approach to Childcare Activation Plan Released - Greater Mankato

What's next?

To implement some or all of this plan, we need your help. The next meeting is the "Next Steps Meeting" which is where the doers will come in to discuss this plan, prioritize it, and figure out how we can implement the strategies.

I'll note that employer engagement throughout the process was lower than I anticipated. It's possible that this means that childcare has less of an impact on hiring than what we thought it had, but I think it is because individuals and organizations didn't feel that they knew enough to make substantial contributions. I highlight this to note that in order for us to succeed in this, we need you and we now have a "game plan" on how we can make a change.

The next steps meeting will take place next Tuesday, January 14 virtually from 6-7 pm. (It is held in the evening so our region's childcare providers can participate). If you would like to join this meeting, please contact Jake Rinehart at [email protected].?

If you want to participate but can't make that meeting, contact Jake so we can help you find a way to engage.

Release Event - International Student Hiring Guide - Network & Learn

Region Nine Development Commission in partnership with Kivu Immigration Law PLLC will be releasing a guide to hiring International Students at their Network & Learn event on Thursday, February 13 from 3:30-5:30 at Pioneer Bank. This event is supported by Greater Mankato Growth & Taylor. Register here: Building Tomorrow's Workforce

Contact Alejandra Bejarano at [email protected] or Mercedes Sempé at [email protected] with questions.

Save the Date! South Central Minnesota Workforce Summit

If you are a chamber member who receives eNews, you may have received an email about this or may be about to receive an email about this, but I wanted to send it to the broader group as well.

Greater Mankato Growth is partnering with Region Nine Development Commission to host the Inaugural South Central Minnesota Workforce Summit which will take place on May 20 at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center. This all day event will feature a variety of hiring strategies, critical labor market information, and connections.

Sponsorship opportunities are available for the event - please contact Tyler Kuch at [email protected] or myself for details (for those chamber members receiving eNews, sponsorship opportunities are highlighted in that email).

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