1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to higher education; requiring the publication of labor market information 
1.3 	by the Department of Employment and Economic Development; requiring 
1.4 	the use and dissemination of labor market information by the Minnesota State 
1.5 	Colleges and Universities; utilizing workforce centers in assisting individuals 
1.6 	seeking credentials for high-demand jobs; creating a pilot project; requiring 
1.7 	reports;amending Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 136F.37; proposing coding 
1.8 	for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 116J; 116L.
1.9 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.10 	Section 1. [116J.4011] LABOR MARKET INFORMATION DATA 
1.11 	PRODUCTION REQUIREMENT.
1.12 	(a) As part of the commissioner's obligation under section 116J.401, the 
1.13 	commissioner must, in collaboration with the Office of Higher Education and local 
1.14 	workforce councils, produce and publish labor market analysis describing the alignment 
1.15 	between employer requirements and workforce qualifications.
1.16 	(b) The analysis must include a description of job trends that supports career choice 
1.17 	and job seeking including:
1.18 	(1) measures of current job growth, projected future job growth, and current job 
1.19 	vacancies;
1.20 	(2) a breakdown of these measures, whenever feasible, by industry, occupation, 
1.21 	statewide and substate region, by educational requirement, state employee retirement 
1.22 	trends, and by racial trends;
1.23 	(3) a description of industry- or occupation-based credentials and minimum 
1.24 	educational standards necessary for successful employment in each area; and
1.25 	(4) a designation of areas of opportunity based on high growth, high vacancy, and 
1.26 	high pay conditions.
2.1 	(c) The analysis must include a description of workforce supply and quality, 
2.2 	including:
2.3 	(1) a description of the current educational attainment of the workforce and its 
2.4 	distribution across industries, occupations, and regions;
2.5 	(2) the number and distribution of recent graduates of and current enrollees in 
2.6 	postsecondary institutions by academic concentration or major and by credential type; and
2.7 	(3) the completion rate, employment outcome, and average debt for recent 
2.8 	postsecondary graduates by program of study, institution type, and credential.
2.9 	(d) The analysis must be reviewed on a regular basis by representatives from the 
2.10 	business and postsecondary sectors, and any feedback should be incorporated into data 
2.11 	collection and presentation where feasible. This feedback may also include surveys of 
2.12 	employers on their skill, credential, and other workforce requirements when necessary.
2.13 	(e) Analysis, data, and reports required by this section must be easily accessible, easily 
2.14 	readable, and prominently presented on the Department of Employment and Economic 
2.15 	Development Web site and Web sites of workforce centers. Information on job vacancies 
2.16 	and areas of potential employment opportunities should link to educational or credential 
2.17 	requirements, appropriate training or educational offerings, prevailing wages, and other 
2.18 	indicators of market conditions deemed important to career choosers and job seekers.

2.19 	Sec. 2. [116J.4012] CREDENTIAL OUTCOME REPORTS.
2.20 	(a) The commissioner shall develop and require centralized reporting on a uniform 
2.21 	set of outcomes for education credentials and program accountability for use by the state 
2.22 	to identify best practices among adult basic education, Workforce Investment Act, TANF, 
2.23 	community and technical colleges, dislocated worker, and other adult workforce programs. 
2.24 	(b) The commissioner shall provide an annual assessment and public report 
2.25 	to the legislature regarding credential outcomes produced by programs and provide 
2.26 	recommendations to better align efforts across agencies to meet employer demand. The 
2.27 	report shall also provide data on employment outcomes and trends by race and promising 
2.28 	strategies to eliminate racial employment disparities.

2.29 	Sec. 3. [116L.191] WORKFORCE CENTER; CREDENTIAL ASSISTANCE.
2.30 	(a) The commissioner shall provide at local workforce centers services that 
2.31 	assist individuals in identifying and obtaining industry-recognized credentials for jobs, 
2.32 	particularly jobs in high demand. The workforce centers must consult and cooperate 
2.33 	with training institutions, particularly postsecondary institutions to identify credential 
2.34 	programs to individuals.
3.1 	(b) Each workforce center shall provide information under section 116J.4011, 
3.2 	paragraph (b), clause (3), linked as a shortcut from the desktop of each workforce center 
3.3 	computer and available in hard copy. Prominent signs should be posted in workforce 
3.4 	centers directing individuals to where they can find a list of top job vacancies and related 
3.5 	credential information.

3.6 	Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 136F.37, is amended to read:
3.7 	136F.37 JOB PLACEMENT IMPACT ON PROGRAM REVIEW; 
3.8 	INFORMATION TO STUDENTS.
3.9 		Subdivision 1.Colleges; technical occupational program. The board must 
3.10 	assess labor market data when conducting college program reviews. Colleges must 
3.11 	provide prospective students with the job placement rate for graduates of technical and 
3.12 	occupational programs offered at the colleges.
3.13 		Subd. 2.DEED labor market survey; MnSCU usage and disclosure. The data 
3.14 	assessed under subdivision 1 must include labor market data compiled by the Department 
3.15 	of Employment and Economic Development under section 116J.4011. The board and its 
3.16 	colleges and universities must use this market data when deciding upon course and program 
3.17 	offerings. The board must provide a link to this labor market data on its Internet portal.

3.18 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

3.19 	Sec. 5. PILOT PROGRAMS; COMBINING CAREER AND HIGHER 
3.20 	EDUCATION ADVISING.
 3.21 	The workforce council in each of the workforce service areas of Hennepin/Carver, 
3.22 	Northeast Minnesota, Stearns/Benton, and rural Minnesota CEP must with at least one 
3.23 	public school district in its service area, cooperate in operating a program to assist high 
3.24 	school students in selecting careers of interest to a student and a postsecondary path to 
3.25 	prepare for that career. The local workforce council shall individually advise a student on 
3.26 	jobs in high demand in areas of interest to a student. Advising must include information 
3.27 	on various career paths and associated jobs, the salary profile of those jobs, and the 
3.28 	credentials and other training desired by employers for those jobs. A district may assist 
3.29 	the local workforce council by, among other activities:
3.30 	(1) describing to the local workforce council what kind of vocational exploration the 
3.31 	student already received;
3.32 	(2) identifying opportunities for the council to assist students by providing office 
3.33 	space at school to meet with students, access to assemblies and other groups for testing 
4.1 	and career exploration, access to teachers through in-service and in other manners, to 
4.2 	support students to use a pilot program; and 
4.3 	(3) working with students after testing and advising by the local workforce council.