Good careers/demand in the MPLS area? / general MPLS questions (Minneapolis: apartments, rent)

[fenrisx]

Hi

I've been wanting to move to the Minneapolis area after visiting there around Thanksgiving. It was a really nice city compared to the cities I've been in here around Georgia where I live. And everyone seemed really friendly.

However, I'm 22 years old, and have no college degree. I've spent the 5 years since I graduated working in a warehouse here in my city doing usual warehouse work(order pulling/shipping/receiving/cycle counting). I've only recently started college, so I'm a long way away from a degree. And since I've working in this warehouse is my only job experience... I'm limited on what kind of jobs I could find there right now.

After browsing various job website, and Craigslist I notice there are always warehouse jobs popping up, but the pay is basically the same that it is here.. and the cost of living is much cheaper here.

What are some careers that are in demand in the MPLS area? I was starting college for electronics engineering. I would hate to finish school, and then find out I can't find work in that field there.

And also how do people like me, who do general labor, afford to live in the MPLS area? The cost of renting a ROOM alone there is on par with what I can rent a small house, or an apartment for here.

I was really looking forward to moving there early next year, but it doesn't look like I could afford living there.

How do you do it?

What would be some smaller surrounding areas, within a 30min drive of MPLS, that might have a cheaper cost of living?


Thanks!

[kuan]

1) Student loans
2) Tutor math

I know of no out of work double E's.

[Camden Northsider]

Originally Posted by fenrisx

Hi

I've been wanting to move to the Minneapolis area after visiting there around Thanksgiving. It was a really nice city compared to the cities I've been in here around Georgia where I live. And everyone seemed really friendly.

However, I'm 22 years old, and have no college degree. I've spent the 5 years since I graduated working in a warehouse here in my city doing usual warehouse work(order pulling/shipping/receiving/cycle counting). I've only recently started college, so I'm a long way away from a degree. And since I've working in this warehouse is my only job experience... I'm limited on what kind of jobs I could find there right now.

After browsing various job website, and Craigslist I notice there are always warehouse jobs popping up, but the pay is basically the same that it is here.. and the cost of living is much cheaper here.

What are some careers that are in demand in the MPLS area? I was starting college for electronics engineering. I would hate to finish school, and then find out I can't find work in that field there.

And also how do people like me, who do general labor, afford to live in the MPLS area? The cost of renting a ROOM alone there is on par with what I can rent a small house, or an apartment for here.

I was really looking forward to moving there early next year, but it doesn't look like I could afford living there.

How do you do it?

What would be some smaller surrounding areas, within a 30min drive of MPLS, that might have a cheaper cost of living?


Thanks!

The trick is getting in with the right company here that hires for full-time, permanent jobs. I'm not sure about electronics engineering, I would assume that field would be alright.

For warehouse type jobs there are a number of good employers here that pay well but they are very very competitive - these include Graco, Tennant Company, SuperValu (although SuperValu is a little harsher/ highly demanding of employees than most), etc. If you have a car/ DL, I would suggest somewhere out off Hwy 12, when you get up around Waverly, Howard Lake area, etc. the cost of living comes down (might not be much availability in the way of apartments and things but Delano, Buffalo, and similar places would probably have some). There are a number of mid-sized local companies out here that are always in need of employees - specifically labor, production, warehouse. This would put you about 35- 40 minutes outside of Minneapolis proper. It would be a very rural/ small town environment however.

A number of the other suburbs have lots of job openings, Maple Grove especially in the warehouse, production, and assembly field although when you start getting out in these suburbs the labor jobs tend to majoritarily use temp services which one shouldn't put too much trust into as far as finding a good employer/ opportunity. The suburbs around ST. Paul (Maplewood, etc.) also fit this bill, you see more skilled manufacturing positions in the St. Paul area for some reason. If you want to feel more like you're part of a city, you could also check out Bloomington, MN - big job market here and close in to the suburbs (but cost of living would be equivalent to Mpls/ St. Paul).

If you don't go out into the more exurban (outer ring/ beyond the suburban) areas and stay closer into the city, you may want to look into a roommate share situation, renting a studio and/or room in a house. i'm not sure what job site you're searching on, but make sure you utilize www.minnesotaworks.net - in labor/ warehouse industry, this is the best site to use. Secondary website, Job Search | one search. all jobs. Indeed.

They say for a single person the 'livable wage" in Mpls is $12.00/hr or above. You can do it here on $12.00/hr, but you're probably going to want more to be getting at all ahead.

[fenrisx]

Originally Posted by Camden Northsider

They say for a single person the 'livable wage" in Mpls is $12.00/hr or above. You can do it here on $12.00/hr, but you're probably going to want more to be getting at all ahead.

I was thinking if I didn't have my credit card debt I would probably be able to live on 12$/hr. I've seen a few warehouse jobs that pay enough but they also evolve some type of assembly and reading blue prints which I've never done.

And to the first poster.. I'm going to start looking into student loans. If I move there before graduating here, and have to continue college there I would most definitely need student loans, and probably only going part time.

I don't expect to find any type of EE job without a degree. That's just what I was looking at doing after I graduate and was wondering how the market is there for that type of field.. or what would be some good similar fields to look into that might be in demand there.


Thanks for the replies everyone.

[K-Luv]

First of all you are not going to find an electrical engineering job anywhere without a degree. An A.S. or cert from a tech program could do,but you'd be stuck at an entry level position until you got a BA. Of course a Masters would net you even more money.

I'd put money on the Twin Cities being good for this sort of work, but I am not too sure just how in demand it is. But, being an engineer in any type science is the future, though, so there will be some growth.

$12 an hour could land you a comfortable spot in Minneapolis, depending on how cheap your rent is. I had a girlfriend who made twelve an hour and did quite alright for herself. Her rent was $600 a month for a pretty cool little 1-bedroom, she had auto insurance, but no credit card and the usual bills. I had another friend that made $16 an hour and lived by himself. His rent was $600 as well but for some reason he was broke all the time. So I dunno.

Sooner or later you'll probably end up with a room mate, though-which will help.

I never went the warehouse route, but I do know that they are always hiring.

I wouldn't worry too much about finding a job as you more then likely will have no problem. I would, however, suggest maybe getting a serving position.

[fenrisx]

Looks like I'll need to pay off a credit card or two before I move. I spent a while last night just trying to calculate how much it'd cost me.. It it were for my credit cards it wouldn't be so hard. And it'd be a lot easier if I didn't have my 4Runner payment.

I'll definitely be coming back before I move though! Love the area.

[nick is rulz]

well as pointed out before, Supervalu has a warehouse here.

Target would be another place to check. I know they have a huge warehouse in Woodbury and one in Fridley. Good pay rate, good company to grow with.

Research other local companies and consider what the business does and if it would warrant warehousing. General Mills probably has one.

If you are specifically looking for an electrical engineering type of job there is this company called Cypress Semiconductor in Bloomington that does entry level assembly line stuff for circuit boards and the like. They pay decent and it would probably be a step in the right direction.


Honestly most of my working career when I was in my late teens/early 20s consisted of me saying "heres what Ive done, heres what I want to make, find me something" via a staffing agency. Takes a lot of the guesswork out of it.

Beyond all of that, even if you get a degree whether AAS or bachelors or whatever it is, if you market yourself right you can find work. I went to a tech school six years ago...no other education, and I have had no trouble finding good paying jobs.

[kuan]

Originally Posted by fenrisx

I don't expect to find any type of EE job without a degree.

In school they told me that double negatives serve no purpose other than to confuse. I meant, every EE grad I know has a job, and I know plenty.

[fenrisx]

Indeed.. .