Data Being Collected to Get Insight into Northland Employment

The Extension is collecting data about business expansion that will help leaders gain further insight into how they can help Northlanders.

New unemployment numbers were released by the U.S. government, showing that about 26 million people have filed for unemployment, which is the worst its been since the Great Depression. Locally, analysts are also compiling data to learn more about the Northland’s economic situation.

Economic experts from the University of Minnesota Extension say 17 percent of workers, which is more than 26,000 have filed for unemployment in the region. The data the Extension is collecting about business expansion will help leaders gain further insight into how they can help Northlanders.

“This data gives leaders a sense of how to prioritize their existing resources to best meet the needs of both the workers and the businesses within a community,” said John Bennett, a community economics Extension educator.

The center of community vitality, which is organizing the program, also works to help communities on strategies they can implement to gain more tourism dollars.