Otter Tail County and Otter Tail Lakes Country Association have partnered to launch a new countywide job portal. The job portal will connect jobseekers and people looking to move to the area with job opportunities.
The portal automatically collects the more than 1,000 available jobs from employers in Otter Tail County into one feed, providing a one-stop-shop for people to find opportunities that match the career they are looking for.
The portal, and other resources for employers and jobseekers, can be found at www.ottertaillakescountry.com/jobs. Employers with questions about how they can benefit from the job portal can contact Marie Noplos at marketing@ottertailcountry.com or 218-770-8208.
The idea for an aggregated job portal was developed last summer when the county began discussing COVID-19 recovery initiatives to help people return to work and close the workforce shortage that existed before the pandemic. Recent data shows that while the unemployment rate in the county has returned to pre-pandemic levels, there has been a reduction in the available labor force. A reduction was expected due to the continued aging of the overall population and individuals stepping out of the labor force to fill caregiving needs during the pandemic. However, this reduction means the shortage of workers is now more severe than before the pandemic.
Otter Tail County’s Rural Rebound Initiative Coordinator, Erik Osberg, says he believes that the portal will be another way to deliver the message that Otter Tail County is a great place to live and work. “Part of my job is to re-write the traditional rural narrative that rural areas are dying. Talking about 1,000 opportunities for people to find work in addition to our outdoor recreation and welcoming communities will help people realize why Otter Tail County could be a great fit. They can pursue a fulfilling career and live the lifestyle they can’t find anywhere else,” Osberg said in a news release.
