Southwest Minnesota is a mostly rural region with a changing population and a changing economy, along with a steady dependence on traditional industries like agriculture and manufacturing. In fact, the region has nearly 12,000 farms and the largest share of covered employment in agriculture in the state. But the region is no longer just focused on growing crops and livestock; it is also intent on growing the population and growing new jobs in emerging industries from health care to manufacturing to professional, scientific and technical services.

The region has worked hard to establish its position as a leader in renewable energy, and it is currently home to over two-thirds of the state’s operating ethanol and biodiesel plants and identified wind power farms. While renewable energy is certainly helping to fuel the economic recovery in Southwest Minnesota, many other industries are experiencing job growth in the region as well. In fact, despite the current recession, many industries in the region saw job growth from 2008 to 2010.

While the 50 growing industries on this list are great choices because of their current and future growth in the region, should you limit your occupational choices to industries on this list? No! Choosing a career is a very personal decision and you should still take into consideration all aspects of a career and industry when you’re making a choice, such as educational requirements, annual wages, and your personality style and work values. In fact, the state of Minnesota tracks more than 770 different occupations, many of which are available in Southwest Minnesota . For additional information on how to plan your career and conduct an effective job search, please contact your local Minnesota WorkForce Center.

(Industry titles are links to detailed industry information pages that will list demand occupations)

Important and Emerging Industries in Southwest Minnesota
Total, All Industries	5,633	69,097	$29,571	-3.6%	-2,555	8.7%	6,011
Home Health Care Services	11	1,220	$16,328	11.0%	121	51.5%	628
Offices of Physicians, Health Clinics, & Outpatient Care Centers	47	687	$53,803	1.2%	8	50.5%	251
Residential Mental Health Facilities	47	1,290	$17,633	56.2%	464	21.1%	272
Nursing Care Facilities	36	3,089	$20,102	4.5%	132	14.9%	460
Scientific - BioScience - Research & Development Services	6	357	$49,296	78.5%	157	22.6%	81
Farm Product, Supply & Machinery Wholesalers	174	2,111	$43,845	2.2%	46	9.3%	129
Community Care Facilities for the Elderly	17	330	$12,369	184.5%	214	23.3%	77
Management & Technical Consulting	24	97	$46,690	-1.0%	-1	62.2%	60
Grocery Product Wholesalers	19	516	$45,708	1.6%	8	12.2%	63
Management of Companies & Corporate Headquarters	11	1,010	$62,024	-24.0%	-319	8.2%	83
Alternative Healthcare Practitioners	73	483	$28,525	5.9%	27	16.0%	77
Individual & Family Services	37	449	$19,901	-7.4%	-36	48.2%	216
Banks & Financial Institutions	139	2,053	$41,898	-1.3%	-27	5.8%	119
Food Manufacturing	49	5,565	$35,883	7.0%	365	-1.6%	-89
Hospitals	10	2,214	$33,593	-9.7%	-239	12.5%	277
Miscellaneous Manufacturing (including Medical Device Mfg.)	22	320	$27,879	164.5%	199	17.0%	54
Industrial/Commercial Building Construction	42	480	$49,239	-31.2%	-218	13.2%	63
Waste Management & Remediation Svcs.	24	206	$30,217	50.4%	69	29.3%	56
Fast Food Restaurants & Limited Service Eating Places	328	3,921	$8,419	-5.2%	-215	7.3%	286
General & Specialized Freight Trucking	244	1,535	$33,232	-3.5%	-56	13.2%	203
Elementary & Secondary Schools	96	6,009	$29,121	-1.3%	-78	4.4%	264
Electric Power Generation & Distribution (including Wind Energy)	30	409	$60,817	9.1%	34	-2.4%	-10
Local & State Government Services	161	2,800	$29,298	-3.3%	-96	5.6%	157
Insurance Carriers & Agencies	191	753	$44,650	-2.2%	-17	8.7%	66
Grocery Stores	102	1,966	$12,953	4.6%	87	-1.6%	-31
Health & Personal Care Stores	53	481	$23,774	-5.3%	-27	17.4%	84
Colleges & Universities	7	716	$44,146	-5.5%	-42	13.1%	80
Retail & Department Stores	64	1,615	$16,984	-8.3%	-146	8.7%	141
Temporary Employment Services & Office Administrative Services	15	150	$39,339	45.6%	47	25.7%	28
Nondurable Goods Wholesale Trade (including Oil, Chemicals, and more)	64	601	$41,723	1.9%	11	-11.1%	-67
Building Equipment Contractors	142	575	$33,422	-8.9%	-56	14.5%	83
Other Professional & Technical Services (including Veterinary Svcs.)	35	224	$27,466	1.4%	3	24.1%	54
Accommodation (including Hotels & Motels)	46	1,071	$17,287	-2.5%	-27	10.0%	107
Vocational Rehabilitation Services	16	294	$19,970	-1.3%	-4	27.8%	82
Offices of Dentists	51	338	$30,890	-2.3%	-8	23.1%	78
Amusement, Gambling, & Recreation	54	548	$17,988	-15.2%	-98	13.5%	74
Chemical Manufacturing (including Ethanol & Biodiesel)	13	438	$53,316	-25.0%	-146	5.0%	22
Agricultural Machinery Manufacturing	26	2,303	$39,382	-8.5%	-215	-12.7%	-292
Administration of Economic Programs (Government)	73	272	$38,235	26.5%	57	5.6%	15
Residential Building Construction	171	290	$20,776	-2.7%	-8	19.3%	56
Highway, Street & Bridge Construction	51	385	$47,094	-1.0%	-4	4.4%	17
Membership Associations & Social Advocacy Organizations	124	950	$15,376	-18.2%	-211	5.4%	51
Architectural & Engineering Services	19	109	$45,548	-23.8%	-34	13.6%	15
Automotive Repair & Maintenance	128	438	$25,014	5.8%	24	-5.5%	-24
Agriculture Support & Crop Production	77	379	$33,795	3.0%	11	13.6%	32
Animal Production (including Hog & Pig Farming, Cattle Ranching & Dairy Farming)	103	1,029	$27,968	-1.1%	-11	-3.9%	-40
Computer & Electronic Product Mfg.	8	602	$36,939	NA	NA	-14.6%	-88
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (Machine Shops)	35	716	$35,283	12.6%	80	-9.1%	-167
Motor Vehicle & Parts Dealers	104	794	$29,821	-0.1%	-1	-5.6%	-44
Commercial Machinery Repair & Maint.	51	191	$39,039	NA	NA	15.1%	8
Source: DEED Quarterly Census of Employment & Wages (QCEW), 2009-2019 Employment Projections

Renewable Energy Career Information
Minnesota Renewable Career Pathways: Ethanol
According to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Ethanol is a $3 billion-a-year industry in Minnesota, supporting 11,000 jobs. Duane Carrow, the Program Director for Renewable Energy Technology at Minnesota West Community and Technical College, says that "jobs in the renewable fuels industry can be classified as 'gold collar' jobs - those that combine both thinking and doing." A typical ethanol plant employs 35 to 50 people, depending on capacity and processing technology, and according to Bob Abbott, the human resources manager for VeraSun Energy in Brookings, SD, "60% of the jobs in an ethanol plant involve skills that can be acquired in a two-year associate degree program." Brian Jennings, the Executive Director of the American Coalition for Ethanol says that "workforce needs are extraordinary and some plants are having difficulty 'keeping up' in terms of finding and retaining quality employees." The "Ethanol Career Pathways" brochure contains information on the workforce needs of the ethanol industry.

Minnesota Green Careers website
Green careers have a direct or essential impact on a product, service, or process that results in environmental benefits. Learn more about what green means or start exploring environmental conservation, recycling & pollution reduction, green manufacturing, renewable energy generation, and building-related energy efficiency careers.

Minnesota Renewable Career Pathways: Wind
By the year 2020, Minnesota's largest electric utility will produce 30 percent of its power with renewable resources. By 2025, all Minnesota utilities will produce 25 percent of their power using renewable sources. Minnesota is the fourth largest wind energy producer in America. Minnesota is among the top 10 states in the nation with the best wind energy potential. The Wind Energy Career Pathways brochure contains information on the workforce needs of the wind power industry including construction, manufacturing, maintenance, and development.

Fields of Energy - Minnesota Department of Agriculture
The mission of Minnesota Ag In The Classroom (MAITC) is to promote understanding and awareness of the importance of agriculture. MAITC has been delivering agricultural literacy to students and educators since 1986. Our educational materials and programs provide a wealth of opportunities for integrating agriculture into the core K-12 curriculum.
Preview the Ethanol segment (WMV: 13.5 MB)
Preview the Cellulose segment (WMV: 7.96 MB)
Preview the Biodiesel segment (WMV: 8.26 MB)

Minnesota Energy Careers website
Find energy careers you'd like, explore careers in energy, and energy industries. The Minnesota Energy Careers website (www.MnEnergyCareers.org) serves Minnesotans interested in energy careers. If you are a student, job seeker, or career changer, the website can help you research energy careers, learn about energy education options, and find Minnesota energy employers. The Minnesota Energy Careers website offers career descriptions in four main energy industries: traditional electric utilities, renewable energy generation, electric and gas distribution, and energy efficiency building operations.

Minnesota Manufacturing Careers
Most careers in manufacturing are better paid than similar careers in other industries. Some have very easy-to-meet entry requirements. Others require a college degree or more. While manufacturing was hit hard by the 2009 economic recession, this industry still represents 11 percent of all jobs in the state. That's more than 300,000 positions!

Champion Now - Changing the image of manufacturing
Champion Now exists to change the image of manufacturing from the unrealistic, stereotypical “dark and dirty” industry to one that is filled with extreme technology, advanced innovations, and exhilarating and good paying careers available for the next generation.