>> Mary: EMPLOYMENT NEWSPAPERS ARE DUE OUT TOMORROW FOR THE STATE, BROADBAND IS COMING, SO MUCH MORE HAPPENING IN THE DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WITH THE NEW COMMISSIONER, MATT VARILEK.

COMMISSIONER, WELCOME.

WE'LL STILL CALLING YOU NEW.

IT'S YOUR FIRST APPEARANCE ON ALMANAC AT THE CAPITOL AND YOU HAD YOUR CONFIRMATION HEARING.

SMOOTH SAILING SO FAR?

>> WELL, I WAS HAPPY TO HAVE A GOOD HEARING AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE MY CASE TO THE SENATE JOBS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, AND HAPPY THAT THAT SEEMED TO BE WELL-RECEIVED AND WE'VE MADE SOME GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH MEMBERS OF THAT COMMITTEE ON BOTH SIGHTS OF THE AISLE AND GOT A POSITIVE VOTE.

>> YOU KIND OF WORE YOUR BIOGRAPHY ON YOUR SLEEVE WHICH I THOUGHT WAS INTERESTING TALKING ABOUT HAVING A FREE LUNCH TICKET, TALKING ABOUT SCHOLARSHIPS, TALKING ABOUT HOW, REALLY, ECONOMIC STIMULUS AND HELPED CHANGE YOUR LIFE.

SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.

>> YEAH, THANK YOU.

SO HE DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, OUR MISSION IS TO EMPOWER THE GROWTH OF THE MINNESOTA ECONOMY FOR EVERYONE AND WHENEVER YOU'RE IN A JOB, YOU WANT TO MAKE THE CASE FOR WHY YOU CARE ABOUT THAT, WHY YOU MIGHT BE GOOD AT THE JOB, AND FOR ME, IT'S PARTLY BECAUSE I HAVE A PASSION FOR IT AS SOMEONE WHO GREW UP IN A LOWER INCOME FAMILY AND NEEDED THE REDUCED SCHOOL PRICE LUNCHEONS AND FELT A LITTLE EMBARRASSMENT ABOUT IT WHEN I PUT IT OUT BUT WHEN I LOOK BACK, I REALIZE HOW FORTUNATE I WAS TO HAVE THAT HELPING HANDS AND THE SCHOLARSHIPS AND OTHER FOLKS THAT SUPPORTED ME ALONG THE AY AND NOW I'M IN A POSITION, WORKING WITH THE GOVERNOR AND LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, HELP TO OPEN THOSE DOORS FOR OTHERS SO THAT MORE MINNESOTANS CAN ENJOY MORE PROSPERITY.

>> AND WE NEED MORE PEOPLE TO ROSS THE BORDER LIKE YOU DID.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE LABOR SHORTAGE BECAUSE IT'S STILL REAL.

THERE IS A LOT OF INDUSTRY.

STATE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO START UP NEW AGENCIES, HE NURSING HOME INDUSTRY, THOUSANDS OF JOB OPENINGS.

HOW ARE YOU DOING AT RECRUITING AND GETTING MORE WORKERS TO COME TO MINNESOTA?

>> YEAH, WELL, WE'VE GOT A MULTI-FACETED STRATEGY.

YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, THAT IS A BIG PRIORITY.

FORTUNATELY THE ECONOMY IS VERY STRONG.

WE HAVE ADDED JOBS I THINK IN SIX MONTHS IN A ROW, I WANT TO SAY NINE OUT OF THE LAST 12 MONTHS.

THERE IS A LOT OF DEMAND FOR GOODS AND SERVICES, THE RECESSION THAT WE FEARED DID NOT MATERIALIZE.

THAT'S ALL GREAT.

BUT THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN IS T CREATES THAT WORKFORCE CHALLENGE AND SO WE'RE DOING A VARIETY OF THINGS, INCLUDING FIRST TRYING TO MAXIMIZE ALL THE OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN MINNESOTA FOR EXISTING MINNESOTANS TO PSKILL TO GET THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO GET HIGHER ED OR A CAREER COUNSELOR -- >> Mary: WHAT MAKES SOMEBODY MOVE?

>> IN THE SECOND PART OF IT IS THE MOVING.

WE WANT TO ADD MORE MINNESOTANS AND NUMBER ONE, WE HAVE SUCH A GREAT QUALITY OF LIFE HERE IN MINNESOTA.

AND PARTICULARLY COMING OFF THE HISTORIC LEGISLATIVE SESSION OF 2024, WHERE WE MADE BIG INVESTMENTS IN THINGS LIKE FREE COLLEGE FOR THOSE THAT ARE OF A CERTAIN INCOME LEVEL, FEEDING KIDS BREAKFAST AND LUNCH, AND FOLKS AROUND THE COUNTRY DON'T HAVE TIME TO FOLLOW POLITICS IN QUITE THE SAME WAY THAT YOU DO AND SO WE NEED TO TELL THAT STORY WHICH IS WHY IT'S SO EXCITING THAT THE GOVERNOR, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, FOLKS THAT EXPLORE MINNESOTA A CLOSE PARTNER OF D.E.E.D.

LAUNCHED A CAMPAIGN TO TELL THE MINNESOTA STORY NOT ONLY IN ADJACENT STATES BUT BEYOND THE STAR OF THE NOR CAMPAIGN AND WE THINK THAT'S GOING TO HELP OPEN FOLKS' EYES TO THE WONDERFUL THINGS WE HAVE IN MINNESOTA.

>> SO WE'RE REALLY RECRUITING ON OUR POLITICS AND POLICIES AND POLITICS IS SOMETHING YOU GET.

YOU WORKED IN POLITICS IN SOUTH DAKOTA.

TELL US ABOUT HOW THAT EXPERIENCE INFORMS THIS EXPERIENCE.

OR IS POLITICS ON THIS JOB.

>> WELL, THAT'S RIGHT, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO MAKE THE CASE THAT THE PROGRAMS WE WANT TO DELIVER ARE WORTH THE VOTES OF THE LEGISLATORS THAT APPROVE THOSE BUDGETS AND SO WHERE I COME FROM, IT'S A RELATIONSHIP BUSINESS AND THAT'S CERTAINLY HOW I'VE EMPHASIZED -- >> Mary: TELL US WHO YOU WORKED FOR.

>> A COUPLE OF SENATORS FROM SOUTH DAKOTA, TOM DASCHLE AND TIM JOHNSON, AN HONOR TO WORK WITH TIM NOW WITH GOVERNOR WALZ AND I THINK THEY'VE ALL SEEN THE IMPORTANCE OF RELATIONSHIPS.

THE ABILITY TO MAKE THE ASE FOR SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ALL RALLY AROUND.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT HAVE SUPPORT ACROSS THE AISLE, ET CETERA.

AND SO I'VE TRIED TO CARRY ON WITH FORGING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS AND THAT MEANS WE CAN THEN GET THE RESOURCES TO DO THINGS LIKE THE DRIVE FOR FIVE, WHICH IS A BIG INVESTMENT WE'RE GOING TO MAKE IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IN FIVE KEY SECTORS AND ON FROM THERE.

>> Mary: WORKFORCE TOMORROW, NEW UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBERS, WHAT CAN WE ANTICIPATE?

NO MORE RECORDS, RIGHT?

>> WELL, NUMBER ONE, THE INFO HAS TO REMAIN EMBARGOED BUILT I'LL SAY BIG PICTURE, WE'VE HAD REALLY GREATS GROWTH IN MINNESOTA FOR QUITE A PERIOD OF TIME NOW.

YOU SAW THAT IN THE BUDGETS AND ECONOMIC FORECAST THAT MMB AND THE GOVERNOR DID RECENTLY.

THERE WAS A LOT OF FOCUS ON THE DOLLARS AND CENTS OF THE STATE BUDGETS BUT WHAT THAT ALL -- >> Mary: STATE ECONOMIST DID SAY WE'RE DONE WITH RECORDS LOW UNEMPLOYMENT, JUST TO QUOTES HER.

>> YOU PROBABLY REALLY DON'T WANTS TO HAVE THE A NUMBER ONE LOWEST IN THE COUNTRY, IT IS A SIGN OF STRENGTH WHEN YOU HAVE THAT DEMAND BUT EMPLOYERS NEED TO BE ABLE TO FIND THE TALENT THEY NEED.

SO WE HAVE A STRONG MACRO ECONOMY YOU SEE IN THE FORECAST.

>> Mary: QUICK LAST ISSUE, BROADBAND.

>> JUST AUPS NOD, $53 MILLION IN INVESTMENTS BECAUSE AS MUCH AS LOTS OF THE STATE ALREADY HAS GREATS BROADBAND SERVES, IT'S AN ABSOLUTE NECESSITY JUST LIKE ELECTRICITY WAS IN A DIFFERENT ERA AND STILL IS, OF COURSE, BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT TODAY, YOU CAN'T NOT ONLY ENGAGE IN ENTERTAINMENT ON LINE BUT IF YOU'RE A STUDENT, YOU CAN'T ENGAGE IN ONLINE LEARNING.

>> Mary: WORK, WORKFORCE, RIGHT?

>> WORKFORCE, TELEMEDICINE, PRECISION AGRICULTURE, ALL THOSE REASONS.

SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO PUT FEDERAL DOLLARS, STATE DOLLARS