DEED: Minnesota sees record number of job openings
A new report issued Tuesday by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) says the state saw a record amount of job openings at the end of 2021.
State officials say the number of job vacancies during the fourth quarter of 2021 was up 56% compared to the previous fourth quarter peak, which was in 2018.
During the fourth quarter of last year, the state reports job openings surpassed 214,000. Meanwhile, the second quarter of 2021 had 205,000 vacancies.
According to DEED, 59% (127,000) of the 214,000 job openings were in the Twin Cities metro area, which covers seven counties. There were 87,000 vacancies across Greater Minnesota, the agency says, where vacancies also increased faster, at a rate of 69% compared to the Twin Cities’ rate of 67.6% during the year.
DEED also says 30% of all vacancies are for part-time work, with temporary or seasonal work counting for 6% of all vacancies.
Meanwhile, the agency says just under one-third — 32% — of all vacancies require post-secondary education or training beyond a high school diploma. State officials add that 50% of vacancies require one or more years of work experience.
State officials reported the number of vacancies in each sector as the following:
- Health Care and Social Assistance: 52,340
- Retail Trade: 39,630
- Food Preparation & Serving: Nearly 33,000
- Sales & Related Occupation: 26,800
- Health Care Support (Home Health & Personal Care Aides, Nursing Assistants and Medical Assistants): More than 18,000
- Health Care Practitioners & Technical (Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses and Medical & Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians): Almost 20,000
Although the state didn’t report exact figures for the following groups, DEED says there was an increased number of vacancies:
- Farming
- Fishing & Forestry
- Personal Care & Service
- Business & Financial Operations