Insights Archives

A new white paper on gender disparities in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) got Ruth Hamberg thinking about the benefits of STEM skills she has experienced and the importance of supporting all students in STEM subjects.

The millennial generation (currently age 14-33) has become the subject of a lot of media attention. Former Compass researchers Craig Hlemstetter and Jane Tigan dug into the data and pulled out some trends related specifically to this age group in Minnesota.

Last week, I had the chance to attend the annual meeting of Minnesota Compass, the premiere source of social indicators that measure progress in our state. With a theme of Minnesota Next: Millennials, Leadership, and the Information Economy, the gathering included presentations by MCF President Trista Harris and Jennifer Ford Reedy, president of the Bush Foundation.

Ever had that strange feeling that people are talking about you while you are in the room? We did while at Minnesota Compass' Annual Meeting "Minnesota next: Millennials, leadership, and the information economy." We were amongst 13% of the self-identified Millennial population in the room. Having served on the core team for the Minnesota Rising Cascading Conversations Tour over the past two years, we had a particular interest in data and trends related to the rising generation in our state.

I recently had the opportunity to attend the 2014 Minnesota Compass Annual Meeting with nearly two-hundred regional data-lovers. The theme of the meeting was "Minnesota Next: Millennials, Leadership, and the Information Economy."

It blows our minds here at CTEP when we see bright young teens try out, and master new technologies. Our eyes light up when we see a teenager code a zombie computer game using Scratch, doctor a picture in Photoshop, design and print a 3-D model of an octopus, create a robot, or shoot and edit a film in Premiere

What can we expect for 2014? The trends people follow, and which they hope to foresee for the future, depend upon their goals. At Wilder Research, we strive to make Minnesota a better place for all. So, below appear some trends of importance to watch, for those of us in the business of building human capital and improving communities' quality of life.

Compass researchers share the trends (and accompanying graphs) they found most meaningful or surprising in 2013.

A School Readiness Report Card prepared by Wilder Research for the Minnesota Office of Early Learning shows systemic challenges that begin before birth. Wilder Research Senior Manager Richard Chase lays them out.

Data for the proportion of adults working in Minnesota were recently released. Former Compass researcher Jane Tigan provides some insight into what these numbers tell us.