SUPERIOR, WIS. – The battle is on to attract workers amid a nationwide staff shortage, and Superior is coming out swinging.
A new marketing campaign promises "lots of jobs, lots of living" in the northwest corner of Wisconsin — where, like so many other parts of the country, jobs are plentiful and workers are scarce.
"We live where people vacation," said Taylor Pedersen, president of the Superior-Douglas County Area Chamber of Commerce, which is spearheading the campaign. "This is a national issue and this workforce attraction campaign is really the first of its kind for our area to our knowledge."
In June, the Duluth metro area — St. Louis, Carlton and Douglas counties — saw total employment reach 132,000, the highest level since March 2020.
That still was about 7,000 jobs short of total employment in June 2019, according to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development — a 5% drop from pre-pandemic summer employment.
Douglas County has more than 22,000 residents working for the first time since 2019 and has been adding employees steadily, but the lack of applicants for jobs has been holding the economy back.
"All industries are really seeing that shortage, as we've all seen businesses limiting hours, days of operation or even rolling back basic services," Pedersen said.
In many cases the jobs have returned or still exist, but for various reasons the employees have not returned.
"One clear culprit is the child care shortage, which was exacerbated by the pandemic," said Ian Vincent, president of the Duluth Workforce Development Board. "The important thing is that the employers are asking their desired talent pool what they want and what is important to them."
Superior is banking on its proximity to outdoor recreation and affordability — the median sale price for a home this year is $158,000, which is $78,000 lower than Duluth, according to Lake Superior Area Realtors data.
"It's a super tight market right now, but you're going to get a heck of a lot more for your dollar," Pedersen said.
Attracting folks who want to work from home for employers in other cities can help the city grow, but it could sap an already limited supply of homes in the region.
Area employers have reported candidates turning down jobs because of a lack of housing.
Pedersen said he'll be closely tracking the success of the marketing campaign, which runs through September, and asking employers where they're picking up new employees.
"It won't solve the workforce question overnight, but I think this is a step in the right direction."
Brooks Johnson • 218-491-6496
