A cascade of layoffs means many workers are now out of a job — or will be soon. Multinational food giant Cargill will lay off 80 employees at the end of the year. Last week, Target cut more than 800 workers and Amazon announced it was laying off 14,000 employees. The folks caught up in this corporate restructuring will now have to figure out their next career move as they navigate job loss in an economy that's all but frozen.
"People are just struggling with what they're going to do next," said Sheila Olson, the chief services and programs officer for Goodwill-Easter Services in Minnesota.
Olson joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer on Morning Edition to talk about the next steps people should take if they lose their job.
How can someone prepare for layoffs in a company once they're announced?
What people should do is just start thinking about what your next steps are. Get ahead of the layoff, and start thinking about connections you have and who you can talk to. Networking is the best thing you can do to try to find that next job.
Start connecting with people, doing informational interviews, finding out what's going on elsewhere, to prepare for when that layoff notice can come.
The state has seen a large increase in dislocated workers. Layoffs are up over 50 percent from last year. Many people are receiving dislocated worker services and reschooling. Dollars are there with dislocated worker services to be able to help you look at what that next career may be for you. You'll have many qualified individuals who can help you find that next career by reschooling.
Is there a particular field or area of study people gravitate toward once they decide to go back to school?
There's a lot of different things going on with the economy right now, especially in Minnesota. Some of the popular areas for employment require more schooling. Those are in the medical, IT and construction fields.
What services are available for people who live in rural towns or small communities in Minnesota?
Usually what happens for people who are laid off is they will connect with their local workforce center. We also encourage them to go to Minnesota's DEED website, reach out to any provider that's listed and see if they're eligible to get enrolled. They don't have to wait to hear back from career force to connect to this system and get the help they need.
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