AASD and DSD eList announcement

Date: Feb. 28, 2022
To: Providers of services for people of all ages, workers who provide direct care, people who use services, lead agencies and other interested parties
From: DHS Aging and Adult Services and Disability Services divisions
Purpose: To share information about Department of Labor and Industry programs to support employee recruitment and retention
Effective: Immediately
Contact: dli.apprenticeship@state.mn.us for questions about the Registered Apprenticeship program or pipeline.program@state.mn.us for questions about the Minnesota Dual-Training Pipeline

Department of Labor and Industry offers recruitment and retention tools for employers

The Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) offers grants to employers to help them cover employee costs for college tuition and fees while the worker obtains a certification or license. These grants can help recruit direct support professionals because employers may use the funds to pay for a portion of an employee’s tuition while they are enrolled in a college program.

DLI also offers support to employers with the Registered Apprenticeship on-the-job training program.

Programs to support careers

Programs that support career advancement opportunities can help retain employees. Programs offered by DLI include:

· Minnesota Dual-Training Pipeline provides up to $6,000 per year (up to four years, $24,000 total per worker) for direct support professional education expenses. Pipeline supports employers in creating or enhancing a competency-based training approach where workers receive a combination of related college instruction paired with on-the-job training. Pipeline supports many occupations. For example, a disability services employer could use this program to pay a portion of a direct support professional’s college education over four years while they receive training at school and through their employer to become a registered nurse. The application period for the Pipeline program is March 8 through April 12, 2022, so contact DLI soon if you are an employer interested in applying. For further details, see the Dual Training Grant application request and informational workshops webpage.

· Registered Apprenticeship is an employee training system that combines job-related technical instruction with structured on-the-job learning experiences. It prepares Minnesota workers to compete in a global 21st Century economy and develops highly trained, skilled and motivated employees. Registered Apprenticeship is an investment in your workforce and your business. It promotes a culture that enhances your ability to recruit, train and retain talent. This program supports many occupations. As one example, an aging services employer could use this program to establish best practices at their organization to train and retain certified nursing assistants.

Recently added

These programs may now be used to recruit and retain positive support services workers. We encourage interested employers to apply. The programs can support training of direct support professionals for positive support specialist positions, which are another type of direct care position but higher paid because of the additional training in preventing and responding to challenging behaviors. DLI programs may also be used to train direct support professionals for analyst positions.

Questions

Don’t see a position/career field mentioned here that your organization is struggling to hire? DLI is open to adding other professions. Contact them if you would like to add a position/career field to their programs.

If you have questions or would like to sign your organization up for these programs, contact the Department of Labor and Industry.

Previous eList announcements

AASD LEAD AGENCY ARCHIVE | DSD LEAD AGENCY ARCHIVE | DSD STAKEHOLDER ARCHIVE