Harmony Celebrates Workforce Development Month!

Harmony Celebrates Workforce Development Month!

September marks Workforce Development Month, and at Harmony Enterprises we’re proud to recognize the incredible impact Workforce Development, Inc. (WDI) has on individuals, businesses, and communities across Southeast Minnesota. By connecting people with meaningful employment, advancing careers, and creating opportunities that strengthen local employers, WDI helps build a stronger, more sustainable regional economy.

The Mission That Drives WDI

WDI’s mission is simple yet powerful: to develop and advance the workforce of Southeast Minnesota. They lead the way in uniting regional efforts, aligning resources, and creating workforce initiatives that support economic growth, enhance education, and strengthen a quality labor force.

Their vision is equally inspiring—to serve as a champion for workers, a convener for community partners, and a change agent for innovative solutions to employment barriers. Most importantly, WDI holds itself accountable to the people and businesses it serves, delivering measurable results that make a lasting difference.

Key Priorities for a Stronger Workforce

To bring this vision to life, WDI focuses on:

• Equity & Inclusion: Expanding fair and accessible opportunities while promoting inclusive workplace practices.

• Collaboration: Building partnerships between employers, educators, and communities to provide work-based learning and career exploration.

• Career Pathways: Addressing workforce shortages with employer-led training programs in high-demand industries.

How Harmony Supports Workforce Development

As a proud advocate for WDI, Harmony Enterprises knows firsthand the value of their work. Employees and employers alike face real challenges—from training and transportation to childcare and employee retention. By promoting workforce best practices, we all help strengthen career, community, culture, and company.

Harmony Enterprises plays an active role in advancing this mission. Our New Business Development Manager, Lane Powell, represents one of the Fillmore County private business seats on the WDI Board of Directors. Lane also serves as Vice-President on the Executive Committee and contributes to the Emerging Workforce (Youth) Taskforce, which brings together local partners to provide career exploration and job opportunities for students.

Additionally, our President, Ramon Hernandez participated as a panelist at this year’s WDI Forum in Rochester, highlighting some of the workforce challenges faced by rural manufacturing employers and some of the solutions Harmony has implemented to overcome them, including help from WDI.

We also make use of WDI programs that directly support our employees and operations:

• Incumbent Worker Training Program: Upskilling current employees with career advancement certifications. Congratulations to these Harmony Enterprises employees who completed their Incumbent Worker Training Programs, earning the following certificates in their respective fields: Jonathon Cremer, Level 17 French through Babbel. Jen Wangen – Bookkeeping Basics, Assets in Accounting, Liabilities & Equity in Accounting, & Financial Statement Analysis through Intuit. Stephanie Hendrickson – Human Resource Generalist Certificate through the University of Minnesota. Lane Powell – Artificial Intelligence In Marketing Certificate through the University of Virginia Darden School of Business.

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  Autumn O’Laughlin has been a Harmony welder for two years, thanks in part to the wage subsidy program from WDI!

  Wage Subsidy & Youth Work Experience Programs: Helping students gain real-world job skills while earning wages and working toward future careers. One of our talented young welders is a shining example of the success these programs can create! Through WDI, employers can receive reimbursement for training wages, up to 90% depending on the company size, for eligible new hires during the initial training period up to six months. WDI also offers an incentive contract that provides reimbursement for wages to train eligible new hires. These are win-win deals that save manufacturers money and net productive employees trained specifically in your own company processes. This program was a perfect fit for Autumn, who was registered for welding coursework at Minnesota State College Southeast in the fall of 2023. Working with WDI, Autumn was able to go to school during the day and receive paid on-the-job welding training from professionals at Harmony during the afternoons and evenings. Harmony tailored Autumn’s training to the MIG welding techniques needed to be a successful welder of recycling balers at Harmony Enterprises, as well as additional curriculum to augment her studies at MN State College SE. Following the completion of the 12 week program, Autumn was able to take her welding certification test and be offered continued regular employment at Harmony Enterprises!

Join Us in Celebrating Workforce Development Month

Workforce Development Month is the perfect time to recognize the difference WDI makes in our communities. This year, each regional office is hosting an open house in which you can walk in and learn more about the programs and services available to both job-seekers and employers across the 10-county Southeast Minnesota region.

The Rochester WDI office is hosting theirs on September 10th, 2025 from 1 PM to 3 PM. We are excited to highlight Workforce Development Month and open our doors while celebrating our amazing customers, partners, and employers who make our work possible! Punch and cookies will be provided while you meet the team, network, and learn more about the services and support we offer across the region.

Or you can call them directly WDI at (507) 292-5152. Their dedicated team can connect you with the right resources to start your journey today!