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Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.
OPA News Release: [05/21/2004]
Contact Name: Jane
Norris
Phone Number: (202) 693-4676
Minnesota Employment Statistics Better Than National
Average Says U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao
Secretary Chao and Minnesota Governor Visit High
Growth Job Training Center
MINNEAPOLIS—U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao traveled
to Minneapolis, Minn. today to highlight the new State employment statistics.
With an unemployment number of 4.1% released this week, Minnesota is well under
the national unemployment average. Other employment figures released this week
were also a positive for the state.
Secretary Chao joined Governor Tim Pawlenty to discuss the success of
distance learning at the University Good Samaritan Center and to highlight the
state of jobs and the economy in Minnesota. They met with trainees at the Good
Samaritan Center who are enrolled in health care training programs under the
President’s High Growth Job Training Initiative. Earlier
this year, the Department of Labor awarded a $1.9 million grant to Good
Samaritan.
“The positive employment statistics are proof that the
President’s policies are working and helping people find good jobs in
Minnesota,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. “These job
figures and other recent data show that America’s economy is strong and
getting stronger.”
Nationwide more than 1.1 million jobs have been created since August.
The economy has gone through eight consecutive months of job growth, and the
national unemployment rate stands at 5.6%, below the national average of the
1970s, 1980s, and 1990s.
The Good Samaritan program is one of several industry solutions funded
under the High Growth Job Training Initiative, started during the
Bush Administration. Good Samaritan brings youth, transitioning workers and
others into careers in health care that span from entry-level training to
management and specialty disciplines.
“The health care industry is projected to add 3.5 million new jobs
between 2002 and 2012,” said Secretary Chao. “Programs like the Good
Samaritan’s distance learning training help to equip workers with the
skills needed to establish good careers in the fast-growing heath care
field.”
The University Good Samaritan Center program is part of the
President’s High Growth Job Training Initiative and is a
strategic effort to better prepare workers to take advantage of new job
opportunities in high growth sectors of the American economy. Through executive
forums with leaders of expanding industries, critical workforce gaps and issues
are identified. Solutions are then created in cooperation with employers,
educational institutions and the public workforce system.
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Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.
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