Goodhue County holds career day for high school students, outlines county job pathways

Goodhue County officials and department leaders spoke to Canyon Waddamingo High School students at a Committee of the Whole meeting to describe career paths and hiring opportunities across county government.

The presentations, led by County Administrator Scott Arneson and staff from Health and Human Services, Facilities, Public Works, Land Use, Human Resources and the sheriff’s office, were intended to show the range of county jobs, the training or certifications they typically require, and entry points such as internships and on-the-job training.

County Administrator Scott Arneson opened the session and provided context about the county’s size and staffing, saying the county “has a population of about 47,000 people” and “we have 350 employees,” with additional unfilled positions bringing the total closer to “380 employees.” He framed the event as a way to highlight “all kinds of jobs that can just fit just about anybody’s interest.”

Jessica Saeed, communication specialist for Goodhue County Health and Human Services, described HHS’s mission and divisions and the kinds of roles available. “Our mission is to promote, strengthen, and protect the health of individuals, families, and communities,” Saeed said, and she explained that HHS includes Social Services, Economic Assistance and Public Health. She told students HHS offers internships, job shadowing and AmeriCorps opportunities and that staff sometimes move laterally or upward within the agency.

Facilities Maintenance Director Tim Redepenning outlined hands-on and technical roles in facilities, from entry-level facility service technicians to licensed maintenance technicians who hold boiler licenses and work with automated building systems. He noted much of facilities work is unseen maintenance and gave an example of large equipment costs: “that chiller ... that component there ... is a half a million to 3 quarter million dollar piece of equipment.” Redepenning also said many current staff are at or approaching retirement age, estimating “50 to 60% of my staff is either at retirement age or approaching it quickly,” underscoring hiring opportunities.

Cody Tiedemann, a school resource deputy with the Goodhue County Sheriff’s Office assigned to Zumbrota-Mazeppa schools, described law enforcement roles including patrol, school resource duties and specialty teams. “As part of the ... things that we can do at the county, I’m also a member of the county ERT or the SWAT team,” Tiedemann said, adding that a patrol deputy’s day can vary widely and that the school resource role focuses on school safety and liaison duties.

Deputy Public Works Director Jake Rizek (licensed civil engineer) summarized the public works organization—engineering, maintenance, recycling/landfill and parks and trails—and the variety of positions from equipment operator to survey technicians and construction inspectors. Rizek urged students who like math and science to consider civil engineering and related programs.

Land Use Management Director Megan Smith described the department’s three divisions—building, planning and zoning, and environmental health—and the certifications and state-agency programs relevant to those jobs. “A public hearing notice is required by state law,” Smith said, noting public hearings and local boards are common places for community involvement and that agencies such as the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota Department of Health have certification programs tied to these careers.

Human Resources Manager Deborah Alvarez outlined county hiring practices and opportunities for students, including internships and summer positions, and offered practical application advice: “When you are applying for a job, please take your time and read through the job posting ... and tailor your resume toward that opportunity,” Alvarez said. She also explained the county’s hiring process uses job descriptions and a scoring approach that accounts for veterans’ preference.

Presenters repeatedly described internship, job-shadowing and entry-level openings and encouraged students to check county resources for postings and to pursue certifications where applicable. The session concluded with applause and appreciation to the organizers.

Less-critical details: presenters named several local programs and training resources (for example, IFMA for facilities, MPCA and MDH certification programs for environmental/health work, and the I Love U Guys Foundation crisis planning resource used by the sheriff’s office). Specific application links or hiring timelines were not provided during the session; presenters referred students to county web resources and HR for current openings.

The presentations were informational only; the meeting did not record motions, votes or formal policy actions related to hiring or pay.