Another indicator of workforce availability is evidenced in news articles about companies expanding or relocating to North Dakota. There were 1,700 applicants for 65 lab technician positions at the Pro Gold corn processing plant under construction in Wahpeton. Sykes Enterprises, a computer support firm, received approximately 3,000 applications within two weeks of job announcements.

A recent analysis shows that 63% of all potential job seekers have some training or education beyond high school. Most possess personal computer experience (66%); 58% would consider employment with a manufacturer; and 51% would consider working in information services.

Recent statistics show North Dakota ranked 1st in per capita state and local government expenditures for higher education and 10th for all education. We obviously believe strongly in the need to invest in the education of our citizens.

Is there such a thing as a "North Dakota work ethic" and does it carry over into the workforce? We believe it does. These executives agree. "Our Linton office has been unusually successful because of an excellent workforce with high productivity and virtually no turnover or absenteeism. All the values our company believes in are evident in North Dakota - honesty, trust and friendship. The workforce is, in short, exemplary.

"Many North Dakotans learned to work hard on the farm where there are no holidays or sick days. They are eager to work, have positive attitudes and show a lot of enthusiasm for their jobs. Businesses that don't locate in rural areas like North Dakota overlook an excellent workforce." Hal Rosenbluth, President and CEO of Rosenbluth International, a Philadelphia-based company with offices in Linton and Fargo, ND.

"Our Linton office has been unusually successful because of an excellent workforce with high productivity and virtually no turnover or absenteeism. All the values our company believes in are evident in North Dakota - honesty, trust and friendship. The workforce is, in short, exemplary.

"The Bismarck employees of Sykes Enterprises are already the most productive in the company. In North Carolina an inch and a half of snow shut down the state. On a day when it was 61 below [windchill] in Bismarck, not one of the Bismarck employees missed work." John Sykes, President and Chief Executive Officer of the computer support firm, Sykes Enterprises.

Hourly wages for manufacturing production workers are $10.75 as opposed to the U.S. aver-age of $12.35. The per capita personal income in our state was $18,738 in 1994 while the U.S. average was $21,696.

North Dakota is a right-to-work state. Approximately 7% of our state's employees are members of a labor union.

Workforce 2000 is a state-funded program designed to upgrade and retrain current workers to meet the demands brought on by new technologies and work methods.

Says Kathi Schwan, Director of Fargo operations for Navigation Technologies, a California-based company with an office in Fargo, ND:

"We have been both an advocate and a benefactor of Workforce 2000. We found we had ND candidates who would thrive with the right training and facilitate the needs of high technology. Our new employees were not only quick to learn, but surpassed our productivity and quality expectations." In 1993 the North Dakota legislature approved a new job training program exclusively for new or expanding business in North Dakota. This New Jobs Training Program helps to offset the cost of training workers for newly-created jobs. Both the New Jobs Training Program and Workforce 2000 are administered by Job Service North Dakota.

A strong partnership exists between the state's Board for Vocational & Technical Education, the University System and Job Service North Dakota. North Dakota has an extensive vocational- technical education system and thirteen publicly-supported colleges and universities. Our two-year and tribal colleges provide training for nearly eighty career occupations. In addition, an interactive video network makes post-secondary education and other training opportunities available throughout the state.

Our universities are a valuable resource for specialized employee training. For instance, the Melroe Company and the ND School of Science in Wahpeton work together to enhance the school's nationally-recognized diesel technician program. Melroe provides technical support and equipment, and with the help of the school, now has a source for trained diesel technicians for its 600 Bobcat dealerships nationwide.