The Minnesota Economic Development Foundation works in partnership with EDAM to stimulate interest and understanding of careers in economic development and provides financial support for internships, scholarships and internationally certified professional development courses. The Foundation sponsored two events this summer.
Upper Midwest Basic Economic Development Course
The Upper Midwest Basic Economic Development Course, certified by the International Economic Development Council, was held July 15-19 at Great River Energy’s headquarters in Maple Grove. It was the first time in three years this core economic development course was offered in Minnesota. Forty-two participants completed the course. They represented all parts of Minnesota and various types and sizes of public, non-profit and private development organizations. Through targeted recruitment and scholarships, the foundation was able to achieve a refreshing level of diversity. Twenty-nine of the participants received scholarships to make the program more affordable.
The week’s fifteen sessions met the curriculum requirements set forth by the International Economic Development Council. The program received high marks, as participants rated the course 4.67 on a 5.0 scale. The following comments are representative of what many participants valued about the training:
“I am new to the industry so this class provided me with a ton of useful information.”
“As a young professional, new to this field, I appreciated the opportunity to broaden my horizons and to learn a lot more about many of the basic functions of an economic developer.”
“I valued the experience all of the speakers/presenters have. It was very beneficial to hear how they’ve implemented ideas/processes.”
This week-long course is the first step toward attainment of Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) status, the highest professional standard awarded by the International Economic Development Council. Minnesota needs more professionals to gain the knowledge embodied in this certification, in order to do the daily work of building a stronger economy.
The MNEDF plans to host the week-long course again next spring, April 27 – May 1, 2020 at Great River Energy in Maple Grove. Watch EDAM communications for updates and registration materials. The 2019 course sold out, so plan to register early to attend this important educational opportunity.
Some of the photos from the BEDC week:
