Upsurge in mining employment leads to career fair

Despite high unemployment rates, the citizens of the Iron Range, the northeastern corner of Minnesota, have experienced a 25 percent upsurge in mining employment over the last two years. According to Mesabi Daily News, a first-ever Mining Industry Day is planned at the Minnesota Discovery Center (MDC). According to planners, “it’s the place to be for information on a wide range of mining jobs.”

The event is a partnership effort with the Minnesota Workforce Center and the MDC and will feature information on both entry-level and highly skilled jobs.

“It’s the event for all job seekers including veterans and high school and college students,” said Charlotte Hanegmon, Minnesota WorkForce development specialist in Hibbing, who is associated with the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).

A recent analysis by DEED ranked mining among the highest-paying industries in the state. Nationwide, a job in U.S. metals mining carries an average salary of more than $85,500 a year—79 percent higher than the combined average of all private sector jobs.

In a similar report on the career fair, Roy Smith, director of workforce development for the Iron Range Research and Development Board, said between the mines themselves and the many suppliers and vendors in the region, there are thousands of job opportunities.