Stories From the Road: DFL-endorsed Kelliher Meets with Heavy Equipment Trainees, Talks Jobs
HINCKLEY, MN – DFL-endorsed candidate for
Governor Margaret Anderson Kelliher took her “No Stone Unturned” jobs tour to
Hinckley today. 
Kelliher visited a Local 49 heavy equipment training facility,
and met a group of minority trainees who are preparing for good-paying jobs in
the trades. The Local 49 training facility in
Hinckley trains more than 4,700 workers every year from all walks of life.
“The hard-working Minnesotans I met today are excited about the future, and ready to get to work,” said Kelliher. “As Governor I will leave no stone unturned to create jobs in Minnesota – good paying jobs where hard working people can put their skills and expertise to work in our state.”
Students who Kelliher visited with today are part of a program called Joint Venture – a partnership between Local 49 and the Summit Academy focused on training minority workers for good paying jobs. The program empowers adults in the most economically depressed neighborhoods in the Twin Cities to become educated, employed, contributing members of the community.
“Right now in the Twin Cities people of color are facing a 20 percent unemployment rate,” said Kelliher. “That’s more than three times the 6.6 percent unemployment rate facing all other Minnesotans. It is one of the worst opportunity gaps in the country.
“That’s unacceptable. And that’s why as Governor I will support programs like Joint Venture – to connect hard working people in every Minnesota community with good, meaningful jobs that will sustain middle-class families.”
Kelliher will hold a town hall meeting Thursday night in Richfield to talk with Minnesotans about her blueprint for job creation in Minnesota, and gather input and ideas from working people. The Town Hall Meeting will begin at 7:00pm in the Nicollet Room of the Richfield Community Center (7000 Nicollet Avenue). Doors open at 6:30. The event is free and open to the public.