Would you like assistance in exploring career options that are a good fit with your interests and skills? Do you want to explore what working in a particular field is like before you start making decisions on your future education and career plans? Are you a recent high school graduate looking for full-time employment and need help deciding what's right for you? No matter where you are on your career path or what kind of employment you are looking for, CareerForce can help you!
Local resources
- Talk with a counselor at your school about career exploration events and resources
- Contact staff at a CareerForce location near you for information about events and resources in your area
Resources on the CareerForce website
- View resources including interest and skills assessments and much more on the Youth Resources page
- Search for occupations of interest and view information on wages, job demand, daily work activities, education requirements, and more on the Explore Careers page
- View upcoming job fairs and other hiring and networking events on the Job Fairs page
Labor Market Information resources
The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development Labor Market Information Office offers a wealth of information that's helpful to anyone exploring their career options. Select the link to the title of recent research articles below to access the article and related tools.
A User Guide to the College Major to Career Connector Tool
The College Major to Career Connector tool allows students, counselors and educational planners to search for majors starting from a career of interest and, vice-versa, to explore the full range of careers a specific major can prepare for. Interactive filters allow users to slice the data by 563 majors and connect them to 505 occupations.
How Much is College Worth?
When considering which college to attend and what to major in, it's important to determine if expected earnings post-graduation are enough to cover both the cost of living and the cost of a standard student loan. The new Graduate Earnings and Cost Calculator tool compares the likely cost of college to the potential earnings in a major, helping users determine the affordability of various school types and program options. The tool calculates the periodic payments owed on a loan, allowing users to input their own loan amount. Interactive filters allow users to slice the data by six Minnesota regions, 567 majors, six types of schools and two age groups.
What Do Students Want?
Career exploration events like the Southwest Minnesota Career Expo and Central Minnesota's EPIC Student Day engage thousands of high schoolers each year, offering hands-on experiences and labor market insights that help students better understand their career options and educational paths. While many students remain uncertain or focused on a narrow range of interests—especially in Health Sciences—recent data shows a shift toward more realistic post-graduation plans, including increased interest in entering the workforce directly, and a growing openness to diverse work environments and career pathways.
Regional Long-Term Employment Projections, 2022-2032
In addition to the statewide long-term projections produced every two years, DEED also creates more detailed employment forecasts for the six planning regions in Minnesota. Each region has its own population and labor force trends, unique industry mixes, and past employment trends that impact future employment growth. This article compares regional industry and occupational employment trends, highlighting both shared trajectories as well as areas of divergence. Based on the factors listed above and others, Central Minnesota and the Twin Cities Metro Area are poised for higher-than-average growth. Southeast and Northwest Minnesota are expected to grow slightly below the state average and Northeast and Southwest Minnesota are projected to grow relatively slower over the next decade.
Northern Exposure: Measuring Artificial Intelligence in Minnesota's Economy
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a powerful tool that is revolutionizing how work gets done, which creates concern about its impact on jobs and the people who hold them. That's why it's important to understand the exposure of Minnesota occupations and industries to AI to plan for strategic workforce development, economic planning and policy interventions, and prepare for future impacts of AI on jobs and our workforce.
Additional resources:
- Visit the CareerOneStop Get My Future website
