6 minutes past 11. It's midday on Minnesota Public Radio and Chris Roberts sitting in for Gary acting today. Good morning. If there ever was an economy where job opportunities abound for young people and adults this one would appear to be it every month. It seems Minnesota's unemployment rate drops to new record lows labor shortages are keeping local employers awake at night Help Wanted signs are posted at nearly every store front. So if you're a teenager or a parent who starting to feel dizzy by all the employment possibilities this economy would appear to be offering young people. This is the midday for you or guess this morning are experts in the field of Youth Employment Earl Wilson is Deputy Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Economic Security and Larry buboltz is director of the rural Minnesota concentrated Employment Program. He's been working in 19 counties for 30 years now trying to get people into jobs and working with employers who need workers gentlemen, welcome. Welcome to you both. It's very nice to be here. Well, I guess this is a question that both of you can tackle. Is there a job for every teenager that wants one this summer? You want me to start Larry great. I think that's a very fair question that I think it's important probably to discuss a little bit of the robust economy. You mentioned in your opening comments before we get into job scenario for teenagers. You're absolutely right on the Mark when you talk about the state of the economy in both nationally and in particular in the state of Minnesota, we are always at traditionally had been historically better off than the national picture and that's ever so true now and getting stronger. We just released the unemployment figures as you mentioned for April and Statewide adjust. The figures are at 2.5% That's phenomenal. I remember many years ago when I was taking a freshman economics course my professor telling me that if you have 3% unemployment, you are literally at full employment. So I don't know how we can be one half a percent below full employment, but we apparently are We ranked number one in the nation with regard to participation in the labor force both for women and man. We have the lowest what we refer to in the trade as the reserve pool of a of a available workers, which is far lower than the national average shed and Ashley. There's probably 20% of the people if you just strictly took number of bodies in the age working age 16 to 70 or 65 it nationally the reserve pool is between 20 and 25% here in Minnesota to about 10% for whatever reason were there are serrated or just not able to work or whatever. So we are virtually tapping out the workforce in the state of Minnesota employers are as you pointed out that getting somewhat desperate to find the right people to fill the right jobs. So the climate is right to do things like attempt more vital school-to-work programs welfare reform those kinds of things because we need those people in the world. Larry buboltz what's going on in the hinterland as the Deputy Commissioner mentioned? It is the best economy that I've seen in all these 30 years and that there's nothing that even come close to equaling Nessa. Even in northern Minnesota where there is traditionally been a lack of a job opportunities are unemployment rate is is about double what the state is but there's still plenty little I mean work we arrived at in the 5 and 6 percentage ranges and most of our areas and so we're excited about the possibilities of what this summer has to offer. We've traditionally I would guess eight or nine years ago that double-digit unemployment Was Not Unusual at this time of the year and now we're half that however, just when you when you just talk about unemployment it is it on a Statewide basis and it is different when you get it down to a local and and even some Geographic areas there still are in fact County's there still are Pockets where unemployment is Comparatively high in our area alone. We have Clearwater County, which is it which is traditionally a high unemployment County at right now with Our Last Summer even a 10% right now even a little bit higher than that almost 11% to Mahnomen County last year and 10% be expected to be a little bit lower but still pretty high unemployment. Also. We have three Indian reservations in those 19 counties that you mentioned before and they also have extremely high rates of unemployment in many times up in the 50 and 60% So the Statewide figures really paid one picture, but there is another side to that there still are areas where there's very high unemployment. We're talking about the summer job picture for young people in Minnesota this year. It couldn't be better. I guess from what we're hearing from our guests in our guests Earl Wilson is Deputy Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Economic Security and Larry buboltz, who is the director of the room Minnesota concentrated Employment Program if you'd like to join the conversation here on midday call us at 227-6000 in the Twin Cities to 27 6000r toll free number is one 800-242-2828. What are the most common jobs that kids gets? Let's say in the city or or in rural areas. And and how are they different from? What's a 10 to 20 years ago? Well, that's a good question in Larry's probably more qualified to answer the historical perspective that happened to let me just say that one of the problems we have in the inner city area with no regard to jobs for kids is that most of the type jobs were talking about are available in suburbs in the malls and in fast food places and amusement parks Etc, but they're usually ring the inner city area. The problem, of course for kids in the inner city is one of transportation and availability to reverse commute. In other words to get out to these jobs. So that Prince presents a very difficult problem and which is the answer. In fact of the unique question people single. Why are we spending government programs on employment programs for youth in the economy? Right when there is Help Wanted signs literally painted on Windows of virtually every retail establishment you sing it and that's the answer is that there are kids in the inner cities and Types of areas that delivery was referring to that can't get to those jobs and yet those kids are at risk their address because they have employment barriers and various other things that prevent them from participating fully in the workforce. So there are programs dedicated to try and help those kids get work ready to teach them to you what referred to as a soft skills of the responsibility of getting to work showing up on time dressing appropriately having the right work ethic to work attitude is Sarah. So those with it or what the government programs are for in those are primarily jobs. Chris that are worked in the not-for-profit sector working at city parks cleaning them up a painting buildings swimming pool areas those sorts of things until those are very good program to get an outstanding track record. And I'm sure Larry can address this more because he runs those in his area but we have a very outstanding track record of turning a La Voz Kids around 90% of them for example return to school. After the Summer, where is there a very high risk for Dropout compared to their compatriots in the inner city and in some of those areas are the jobs in the city of in the private sector basically the same as they have been for the past 10 20 years pretty much. I think there's a lot of lawn care maintenance jobs. Lots of retail fast food counters. Those haven't changed much the thing that thing that we are seeing changing is that the kids even at a high school age are getting into some of the technology jobs, either through an intern or a easy word apprenticeship signing on as a summer intern with some of our technology companies because the kids today have so much more computer and keyboard skills than we had at at age. Obviously, so there is a lot of that where the kid just starting out and getting into some of the higher tech jobs on a summer basis and even construction which is a high-demand area right now cuz I'll let you jump in here in a moment, but I remember my Track of when I was young back in the day was I started out with lawn jobs, which was somewhat terrifying for me because I was afraid of bees back then and I moved on to the fast food sector. I think I've worked in Arby's for a couple of Summers. And then as I approached College, I was lucky enough. I lived in the Detroit area and I was lucky enough to get a job at an auto assembly line. So it sounds like that track might not be so unusual today. That's still very difficult kids start out to get me my case the same thing when I was in high school Somers. I work for a fellow to help him landscape laying sod and stuff which is tough work, but that's how a person gets a start and it's in that environment that you and I and others learned the work ethic learned that we had to be there when the boss said to be there and we learned that we had to show up in and be consistent and demonstrated the skills that employers look at later in life when you're up there hiring you for permanent job. Larry buboltz has Anything changed in rural Minnesota over the years in many cases. Our our jobs are not dissimilar to the jobs that are available in in the city area. Obviously. We we have less fast food opportunities. We do have more Resort opportunities. I think in this area especially in the summer and that's always at one of the areas where Latin employers are working looking for good employees and a lot of Uther are employed in the resort business but its retail fast food groceries Hotel restaurants that type of thing and I think the real there's there's some real problems. However with work rules in the people are young people that are 14 and 15 year olds are allowed to do certain things by La people that are 16 and 17 year olds are allowed to do certain things by law and then over 18 obviously any job is is it is open to people but That's I think one of the problems that were seen in Minnesota when they put out a help wanted sign and you say there's all these young people some of the young people can't qualify for the things that have that they're doing in the employer cannot hire him for those things because they are it's not illegal for people to to work in certain situations. So those work rules also have to be considered in in that Holy of Youth Employment equation will let me ask you about those work rules. So what can 13 14 and 15 year olds do vs 16 17 18 year olds work of cashiering a begging and carrying out customer orders. They can deliver things but not have through with on foot around bicycling with public transportation, but obviously not with vehicles certain kinds of kitchen work if I'm clean vegetables and so forth, but what they can't do for example, as any manufacturing any mining any processing occupations like filleting fish addressing poultry They can't usually operate any machine type of tools a lawnmower. They cannot operate that at 14 and 15 year old 14 and 15 year old is not to operate that underemployed. So those are you know, so you eliminate a lot of jobs that that have power equipment that young people cannot do it in general. It's the power equipment equation there that's difficult to such as that is on farms. If it's your parents Farm, you can drive a tractor under 16, but you can't drive a tractor on another Farm. If you don't text me you cannot be employed doing that as an occupation. That's correct. Well, if you're a teenager of thinking about entering the workforce for the first time and and well I should say the world is your oyster with this economy, but you may be kind of intimidated by all the directions you could go. Why don't you give us a call or if if you're moving in a certain direction and he'd like to share your employment ideas or opportunities. Best so give us a call to 276 thousand in the Twin Cities to 276 thousand or if your parent who is trying to nudge your teenage son or daughter into the work world and need some ideas join the conversation join the discussion to 276 thousand in the Twin Cities toll-free and numbers one 800-242-2828. I don't want this program to turn into kind of a judgment of of the work ethic of young people, but I wanted to ask you both about it. How do you how does it rate? How are how are young people are faring in terms of their desire to go out and work? I believe that the desire is is is very high to go to work. And I think most young people are wanting to get into the labor force I end and I think that's especially true. I know the 14 and 15 year olds as if they'll be ended because they're such a limited number of jobs. They can do it. But I find that what young people make up for it or or lack in experience. They certainly make up for in terms of enthusiasm and willing by enlarged to do those to do the work in the NICU employers is having the pick up some very very good people and in in this area, I guess it wouldn't surprise me Earl Wilson that young people are thinking of careers earlier and earlier these days. That's a really good point Chris and we have a system here that we're trying to develop in the state of Maine. Workforce Development system that we're putting together that addresses the world of work and we're trying to put it latest thing out. So that addresses kids at an even earlier age when I went to school when moving you and I were back in elementary school and in our father so probably worked at a place where they started at a very young age and a skill or a trade or occupation and chances are that generation stayed there in that place till they're 65 years old retired got a small pension to go watch in a way they went. Well that's changed very dramatically. There are various studies out today that show that people will change a careers as many as six and seven times in our lifetime. It's a much more mobile portable Workforce we have today and we are trying to get into the school's the understanding with young people that this is the scenario. You should plan your life around developing as many skills as you possibly can understanding what the labor market is an approaching it with his Is a full of tool kit of tools as you possibly can by that I mean take the technical courses take the keyboard and stuff get as much computer experience in particular as you can because even if the kid wants to be an auto mechanic, for example, which I remember again when I went to school the kids wanted to be auto mechanics got shuffled off to the industrial high school and stop while they're not they're not qualified or eligible or one of these to go to college anyway, so we'll go have him learn auto mechanics are Auto Body. Well, I'll tell you today and today's and back then as well. But if those kids do well in that course a chances, are they going to make a lot more money a lot of running around in our kids were going to the college and getting a degree in and still wrestling with what they want to be when they grow up. So the vocational education case is a very important element and we need to not forget about what is sometimes referred to as the Forgotten half the kids who don't go on for whatever reason to college but want to get into the workforce. There's a lot there. A lot of opportunities near a lot of very high paying jobs that do not require college degrees, but she has some sort of formal or informal even application training. Larry young people are concerned about careers earlier and I know the the program that we operate the for summer youth in our area really it is his gear to trying to find out those occupations that young people are interested in and what we do with that and by the way, the people that come into that program usually at 30% of them some sort of Developmental disability of 16% somehow connected with the juvenile justice system. This program does not compete with the private sector it offers a lower wage. Usually we pay the minimum wage many times even up here jobs in the private sector is slightly higher than that and we only allow them to work for 300 hours. So it's not competitive with the private sector at all and entry in that respect that we provide extra things for those young people in that career career development. We allow them for example to a first of all if they need math and and reading skills, we require that so that that's Part of their whole educational process in their job process and then second of all, we allow them to experience jobs at their head. They have interest in and work on those jobs in a during the summer. The jobs are like with the with the mr. Wilson talked about they are in fact the jobs in the Pinda Pinda public area, but that involves everything from Clerks 2 operating computers to outdoor jobs in in in parks and recreational facilities, but it really I think it's an important thing is that we we I do believe that the summer youth programs. In fact are the original school-to-work programs. They've always been the transition from the school the academic based learning to the skill based learning when you actually get into the into the workforce and the perfect opportunity for young people to hold their employment skills in terms of the hard skills that they need to get a job to soft skills that they need to keep that job in other words. Those skills are like a attendance of skills, like initiative listening to directions and so forth that's important. Also, we require them to do interviews, which is extremely important when you get out in the real Work World, so we try to make those jobs be as much like the jobs that they could get her would get in the private sector as possible to 276 thousand is the number to call in the Twin Cities. If you have a question or comment regarding summer youth job opportunities here on midday or guess Circle Wilson Deputy Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Economic Security and Larry buboltz director of the rural Minnesota concentrated Employment Program, and we'll go now to Bob and Cohasset. Thanks for joining us. Hello, Bob, just a comment. We have a seventeen-year-old daughter. Hope you a senior next year in high school and she has been able to find out more work than she can handle up partly with doing things like odd jobs. But also what we might call babysitting. I actually taking care of kids and not always in the evening but during the day and I guess we're really surprised at how well people will pay for a for a high school student who is reliable and mature gets along well and especially if she has her own transportation and it's it's it's it's pretty good money working flipping hamburgers and and actually in any respect more enjoyable and what happens after you do a couple of these the word spreads and pretty quick you just cannot keep up with them and it's during the day as well as in the evening and saw the work is her out there if the if the student is reliable and in mature Remind me asking how much she's being paid for babysitting and when you couple that with some work in the afternoons as well. She can make 40 or $50 a day. That's pretty good money for doing something that she enjoys. That's great. Thanks for your call. Is it go we hired a young person to come and stay in our home and take care of our children while we while we were working in the summertime and I worked out very well. I mean it and this is something that a 14 and 15 year old to do a very responsible fifteen-year-old could easily handle a number of children and that really works out great. It's a great job opportunity to and that's something that can be done in one's own neighborhood one doesn't always need to Navigation to do that and that is one of your is it has grown faster. We talked about earlier for employment for kids. In fact, is that the phenomenon of that very high participation rate to Workforce by male and female causes, you know, the two family income situation where you required daycare service will take care of services in a in a facility are very expensive. If you can get a neighborhood kid one, you know, you trust etcetera to do that. They're willing to pay very good race because it's still probably less they would pay in a daycare center can kids make more money. They stays working jobs any kind of job. Are they being paid more? Absolutely you go to even the fast food establishments the signs on their Marquis now instead of advertising what their special today is more often than not it's a help wanted sign with their hourly rate supposed to do it in many cases. That's more than $6 an hour for a kid to start out. That's a lot more than it was even 5 6 years ago. Noir average of hotels restaurant at you Noah restaurants and so forth anywhere from 5:25 to $7 an hour on average almost invariably above the minimum wage and an employer have the right to hit in terms with with the young people to attack in fact a sub-minimum wage, but they do you find most of them not doing that because they were an interest in getting the best employees they can into their plane above the minimum wage in most cases Stewart in Maplewood. Welcome to mid-day that were the world seeking for out here. It's here. It's we we find QuikTrip sell and and it's great to keep him engaged in the job. And I think that's really important. It's part of our success in keeping folks active been on the job and a real part of the organization and responding to that tell you can't really give the people just a job description really need to Expecting to be a party organization and responsible and accountable for certain things. So they're aware of how revenues are impacted and why certain things are important health food cost work and all those kind of consideration. So it's a different place when I did when I was at date, so first of all competitive environment for workers, are you a less choosy than you once were You to a certain extent, you know, I mean it I guess you're willing to give people a try off the bad probably more readily than you might otherwise be and at the same time or standard to pretty high-end for keeping someone on board has really set left by myself and it is the other workers in the group. You know, who is Daisy's, you know, we need everyone to pull 110% if you're online great. And if you're not well everyone else is hiring so go for it get outside and how are you competing? Do you offer any perks? We are well and I'll place it says we we have gold set up the sales goals and everyone has an idea of what those sales goals mean with respect to revenues and how our business operates. We operate under an open book management system, which means that everyone touches and feels their numbers and and knows exactly where we're at. There aren't any secret there. And when we do activities in the fun things were going to play splat ball here in a couple weeks and we want to do a golf outing. We're going to go boating this summer and we just did all in last month's and and I also got two things that come along with its roast beef sandwiches are going to have to do exactly the things that stewardess. Going to retain employees it because of the labor shortage is going to be the fact of of the next at least 25 years. If not longer than that. I mean that we're going to start this stuff for that kind of thing. But you know what he's talking about exactly the kinds of things where you keep young people involved. You keep your employees involved and you do things to retain those employees it it's far cheaper in through the street would agree to retain employees and continually train new ones the day of just a hiring a person and saying do this job and can't keep quiet are done and over and I think there's a whole new attitude that is that for employers the managers in businesses today. I didn't realize that labor shortages were projected for the next 25 years Alto demographics in census information to show us that right. Now the the employment growth is growing at a rate of about 1.3% of the year that works jobs replacement jobs in new job. At 1.3% a year the workforce potential is growing right now at about 1% per year. Obviously mathematics would tell you that that's it. That's going to be a very big shortage in the end of supply-side and but as well that is is worsening. In other words by the Year 2005. We predict that the workforce growth rate will be about 2% So if the economy continues, even if we have a recession, there will be work for shortages the economy may may turn South but they're still going to be a demand for workers, which is a very different phenomenon and we've ever faced before our guests Earl Wilson who is the Deputy Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Economic Security and Larry buboltz, who is the director of the rural Minnesota concentrated Employment Program were talking about summer job prospects for young people which are quite good this year. Needless to say if you'd like to join the conversation. Call us at 227-6000. In the Twin Cities or one 800-242-2828 will resume the conversation in just a few minutes. You're listening to midday on Minnesota Public Radio on the next all things considered the mild spring has been good for Canadian geese but bad for residents trying to get around the Lakes without stepping and dropping would like to spread out their blankets and sunbathe or read or do whatever. He ran along the Lakeshore and that's where the rub comes in that story on the next All Things Considered weekdays at 3 on Minnesota Public Radio k n o w FM 91.1 in the Twin Cities. NPR's Main Street radio coverage of rural issues is supported by the blandin foundation strengthening rural communities and reducing violent activities through community-based programs in rural, Minnesota. Let's take a look at the weather forecast partly to mostly cloudy this afternoon across the region the chance for light showers in the far south house from the mid-60s in the north of the mid-70s in the South and today in the Twin Cities partly. Sunny skies highs between the upper 60s and lower 70s partly cloudy tonight Lowe's in the upper 40s the low fifties and mostly cloudy on Saturday with a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms in the Twin Cities mainly in the afternoon highs in the mid to Upper 60s. Why don't we take another call will go to Laura who is joining us from Fargo. Hi Laura. Hello. I was listening to your program as I was driving up from Detroit Lakes and I just had a suggestion for some kids that worked with our five children. For those who are interested in swimming there unlimited possibilities when you get your lifeguard certificate or wfi and this can lead to jobs at any kind of public facility camps. You can give private lessons which pay a great deal of money. My kids also worked. Are you still there? Yes, we are hugging. Sorry. I had my mic down. I was arranging some papers in front of me, but go ahead and that's about it. Someone out to be swim coaches and then you're in college. And anyway, it really helped get five kids through college. Believe me. It sounds like a great idea whether you answer my question. Actually Laura weather kids were still allowed to be lifeguards are usually they are 16-16-16. Okay, and then you can get your wasi at 18 and Camps summer camping to college is wonderful and they pay more than they used to be even have programmed exchange programs for overseas camps. So their unlimited possibility Laura. Thanks a lot for your call by that's a great example of a specialized occupation that many young people are are the ones that are involved with that occupation. I know here in the city of Detroit Lakes. Are we hire lifeguards for the city beach and that if you have that that that WSI it's a very valuable to a very valuable skill to have how important is previous work experience for kids teenagers important, but not it's not the it's not the primary prerequisite with employers and employers from what we hear in talking to the various committees and focus groups etcetera is what they're looking for is young people with the right attitude. The willingness to work the willingness to learn the willingness to be part of a team all the things you've heard some of our call or say about being participative and showing up on time and having the right attitude about work. That's the most important thing to employer. Their employers are very willing today is the the young man from my cousin sub indicated. He's willing to do things with his employees to incentivize they're staying with him and we're seeing a lot more of that of a employers acknowledging that they have a responsibility to employees as well for retaining them even at the entry level jobs at because it is far more expensive and Troublesome to turn over a Workforce in to train and retrain your own work for so we're seeing a lot more of that. Past work history is always important because you can you can check on the things that employers want to know about the dependability responsibility ability to follow directions initiative willingness to learn cooperation punctuality. All those types of things. But I think also many employers are willing to to train people who have good attitudes it and so forth. They call so many employers are willing to be 17 18 19 year olds have not perfect. They made mistakes too. And it ended at every job works out too and not every supervisor works out. But I think many employers are willing to give people a second chance and I think that's important in terms of young people because young people do grow up and many of them make very very good employee and employees even people who have made mistakes a question for both of you. What are employers telling you is is most lacking in Young Job applicants. You want to go first or I can do that and we haven't. What they look like wood look for I would say but I mean when people lack things I think social social skills many times. They were they they want a better social skills in the retail people need better. Social skills skills of people who work in fast-food restaurants need social skills those types of things that are sometimes lacking in some of the people it's it's it's some basic skills. It's the mass index in reading skills that are a bit of a problem and in some cases but I think buying large though. It is the shop skills the abilities to the ability to know if you know that they have to be there on time they have to listen to their supervisor and and they have to be willing to participate with others and team players that type of thing is as usual things are lacking. I think those are all right on the mark & Spencer Wood Group employer talking to as well as to what skills are looking forward to talk no more technical group to say gosh. I wish these people had more Feels keyboard and computer interest aptitude that sort of thing. If you're talking to a retail industry there talking to talk about their social interaction skills their verbal communication skills and attitudes that sort of thing is writing ever a problem writing ability writing skills. What type of employment you're talkin about depending on where the company sits on that sort of thing. We do here that occasionally but not as much as the soft skills. Peace and the technical skill about the same as we'd hear about the basic skills the math in the reading the types of things rating is it is important many employers are willing to work with people on that. However, and I think one of the things like the summer youth program program that we operate is very heavily couched in those basic skills and helping people not only with a basic reading and hand at hand mask kills, but the writing skills and I think they are important in the world. That's one of the beauties of that program where he's talking to Bright House Networks showing that on average we advance these kids about 1 years level in reading math writing ability because there's a work component. Excuse me to study component to the summer youth program that those kids are enrolled you listening to midday on Minnesota Public Radio. It's 19 minutes before noon on Chris Roberts sitting in for Gary I-10 today. We're talking about summer youth job opportunities with Larry buboltz, who's the director of the real Minnesota concentrated Employment Program and Earl Wilson, who is Deputy Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Economic Security will take another call. It's been in St. Louis Park High bad. What's up? I was just calling to tell you about what I do. Excellent. What do you do? St. Louis Park soccer referee and it's a really great opportunity to game just for like my ear and it it's a well worth it. It's very good way of making money plus. It's a lot of fun. Does how many games a week? Do you referee and in that kind of a job will suffice for you this summer? Will you be working in the other jobs? The rapping really does a lot and it's a lot of fun. So I could survive on just said he's with the parents hollering at you. Like I thought the very supportive of me and they give me rides to the field. How old are you been been will not have trouble getting work. Nope, very inventive created. Thanks a lot for your call. One other thing that Chris I could mention if there was an advertisement. It is for mr. Wilson and I it has has to do with the fact that the four people who are looking for jobs and and and employers who are looking for employer employees. We're partnered the the real Minnesota separate and are the concentrate Employment Program. The local partner with the state of Minnesota what the Department of Economic Security in the workforce Workforce centers throughout the state of Minnesota and these are kind of one stop but with One-Stop centers where people can call up and get help with work or employers can call up and get help in finding employees. So the numbers and then It's at 1888 get jobs. And if it's certainly I think it's something that should be mentioned in this program. Because if the if there is any mismatches out there this Workforce Center concept is the thing that supposed to set Alexa to a to resolve that he beat me to the punch cuz I was going to make sure I got my commercial in before the show is over. Thanks Larry, but there's a there's a that's a really important point because we've developed a Workforce Development system in the state of Minnesota. I think that is is clearly set. Will I know it's second to none in the nation because of the local partnership that we have with the state. We've invested significant resources in developing the technology the wherewithal and the location sharing resources that will bring these jobs at the local folks. We we've attempted to leverage technology a lot Leah birch tree all of our systems that are applicable to finding jobs are now on the internet. So people who have internet access ability to at home in her present workplace. Can dial-up our homepage and get the listings to all of the jobs available in the state of Minnesota for example for kids as well as adults and I'd like to give that internet address if I could use it. So it's real easy to get to www. D e s. State. MN. Us and along with that 888 number this Internet access will give you a tons of information something else. We did this year that I think is unique is that we've developed a national award-winning publication called Minnesota careers, and we have distributed at 2 every night at 10th grader in state of Minnesota and it gives them a chance to look at careers across the total Spectrum. What they would like to be when I grow up what to do when they become adults rather I should say in what the prospectus is for that job growing diminishing with the job outlook is with regard to getting higher than that the opportunities with the education requirements as what the salaries It's a very neat publication in the end. It's part of our effort to get a kids at a younger age were putting that in the hands of 9th and 10th graders. Now. Do you find that kids are working primarily to make money in the summer or are they working for to develop job skills, or are they working to pad their resume? I think it's probably all three but I think they're at their initial amount of a corset to get spending money. They want to have the money to put gas in a car to get a car to buy in the fancy clothes to keep up with their fears Etc that becomes their initial incentive I think but then as they once they realize that they're learning that they're there padding their resume. And in fact, I doing that and they are developing a very important skills. That will serve him very well later in life young lady Grandma if she came to the program and from a remote area and was very interested in healthcare occupations as as as her vocation play stir in it in a situation. Non-profit nursing home and she went back to school this year and she intends to become a doctor. So if it's if she needed the money but it's also get can be very career-oriented and I don't know especially the Minnesota youth program in the those types of opportunities are a lot more time. So geared towards vocational orientation along with the money. We try to make sure that they're learning some vocational skills to I guess I was wondering if either of you have any opinions about whether we're too fixated on on having their kids develop career paths early in life like a 13 or 14. There's an interesting story that mr. Brown and I like to tell about I studied it was done several years ago that asked a bunch of third and fourth graders what they wanted to be when they grow up and they responded by saying doctor nurse firemen policemen teacher Will 25 years later, they did the same study and ask the 3rd or 4th graders. What do you want to be when you grow up and not surprisingly the answer was Doctor lawyer fireman teacher. And the reason for that. I think it's that's what these kids are exposed to at that point in their life. They're supposed to the doctor's office. They're supposed to the fireman and and the policeman and they think that's really neat. We need to do a better job of exposing these kids that even an earlier age to other occupations and often kid that won. One of my objectives is to tell my four-year-old grandson to start telling people you want to be a plastic mold injector when he grows up so far. He hasn't said that he still wants to be a fireman will take another call. It's Janice in St. Paul. Hello the emphasis on the social social skills and they technical skills more so than emphasizing money over here, which I think it is kind of an American. That's always it seems to be sold almost there to the point where it's what I want to say. I don't want to see deadening but you know two of these kids. I feel like she lets us not be completely motivated by the bottom line. It's just money money money in and then I think a lot of these children lose lose a lot. Actually. I have a 15 year old and and she babysits and she came home and said they want to pay me all this money and I just love this so don't don't take that much. I said, I don't want you to take that much I said that what do you think would be more reasonable and Anna and then we did we came up with something and she told him she did not want anything more than that. And I think I'd like to see that attitude for everyone. Basically, you know, I wish people would say. Hey, this is really we're asking too much. Let's not do this. If any of these like, you know, the Greek concept over killing us and I just thought I might philosophy I said would be everyone take a little less. We all have more and I'm trying to give that philosophy to her. That's just because they're going to pay doesn't mean that you should take it and and she's not and she's very happy. She likes the children. She likes the job the people, you know, and it's fine in any of these. She's happy with that. Then I'm am happy. Thanks a lot for your call preciate it any comments and I can't remember the the the exact quote but that if one finds the right job and it would you find a job that you love you never have to work any days in your life basically and that I think it is important to keep working in 02 trying to find the things that you that that that a person really wants to do and has a infant has a fire to do I do however believed that the that we're going to see probably in some respects and more generalized kinds of Education because I think that the employers are going to be willing to train specifically for skills in the future. So what's going to be coming out of our schools is make sure that we have the reading and the writing The basic communication skills that we need and then employers are really going to fill that out after after the technical education. We hear more and more of that of implore saying I want people with the ability to learn it didn't been out of sir. I already have to have the skill. I want them to have the ability to learn it by having the basic underlying technical abilities in math and reading and English etcetera and employees are very willing to take on responsibilities for training in one of the other areas in thinking about jobs for kids that is really hot. This summer is construction and I say that because of the unfortunate situations we've had the Red River Valley up in Larry's neck of the woods with a flooding last year. And now the tornadoes in the southwest the construction industry is just going gangbusters and also the economy. I mean home building and whatnot. The state of Minnesota is just going through the roof and construction. What's our high paying jobs that kids can make 10 to $12 an hour is it? Labor on a construction crew there sings. I can't do obviously we talked about before but just you know doing the Gopher jobs, we get alcohol in the lumber and help them out and getting stuff. I think there are lot probably a lot of opportunities there for kid to get a nice job in the summer a young person rather to to make some very good money and get in on the ground floor of understanding what that Industries about. I may be getting into in the future. What are the hot jobs in rural Minnesota Larry the construction opportunities over to the western part of our area along the Red River Valley. I mean East Grand Forks in that area, but you got to be a little bit older for that. You have to be 18 or buying large it had for sure 16 and most cases 18, but those are those are good jobs fast food restaurants that have a lot of jobs at grocery stores. I think it's it's the the same jobs. If only that the employment conditions have changed over the years employers now we're looking for people. Was supposed to a young people looking for jobs. I do have to say they are still one other kind of gaped her that we have and last year in the state of Minnesota have in in terms of applicants for our program. And this is that they couldn't find work in the private sector and now they came to our programs and so forth and yet even then last year and we had a lot more money than we had this year. I was just about 6,000 young people did not find work. So they're still our needs for it for you specially the 14 and 15 year olds. There are gaps there that are not being filled already in our program are in our area this 19 counties are sold almost to expect a thousand kids will not get work that are eligible and want to work in this area. So are there still needs they're still need about 30 seconds remaining Earl. Could you remind me as far as the bill that was passed by the legislature this year helping kids with summer employment and and especially transportation. Access to Transportation. How is that going to work the the amount of money that we have appropriated this year for summer youth programs at Larry's referring to is right around 15 million dollars total that's down a little bit from last year protecting of the state programs. And that's unfortunate cuz there will be people on the waiting list young people are waiting list to get into the problem with the transportation. Peace. As we stated before is that the kids with them biggest need the most need were there on the reservation or the Intercity can't get to the jobs. So we're looking at Eden Prairie is got an Innovative reverse commuting program. We're looking at at dealing with the Community Action agencies and the service delivery area folks to to get more creative with the private sector and the private nonprofits in particular in been putting Transportation programs together to help that we're out of time unfortunately, but thanks a lot for joining us Earl Wilson who is Deputy Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Economic Security and Larry buboltz director of the rural Minnesota concentrated Employment Program. Airplane today. Thank you. Tune in for Prairie Home Companion this week live from St.Paul with Chet Atkins and Pat Donohue Irish Fiddler Kevin Burke and his group open house. And of course the news from Lake Wobegon, Minnesota listen for a Prairie Home Companion Saturday afternoon at 5 on all NPR station. And again Sunday at noon on Minnesota Public Radio k n o w FM 91.1 in the Twin Cities. Now, it's time for The Writer's Almanac with Garrison Keillor.