The grant will be utilized to train an individual about the mandated 2020 Minnesota State Building Code and the codes that are enforced to protect the public.  This grant will provide valuable training to an entry level trainee that would support the City in developing and creating a workforce that is representative of the community that it serves.

The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) has granted a Building Official Training Grant Program for municipalities. The grant program provides $65,000/year that will cover the entire cost of the program. This program is intended to provide meaningful education, work experience, and competency-based skills training that prepares trainees, 18 years of age and older, to become building officials. DLI is seeking partnerships with up to five municipalities (throughout the state of Minnesota) with the objective to encourage, promote, provide, and support municipal partnerships to educate and train new building officials. The trainee will be sufficiently trained to pass the exam for Building Inspector-limited certification. The trainee will be utilized to assist inspector’s throughout the city with the inspection of building permits. 

It is the policy of the State of Minnesota to ensure fairness, precision, equity and consistency in competitive grant awards. This includes implementing diversity and inclusion in grant-making. The Minnesota Office of Grants Management (OGM) Policy 08-02 establishes the expectation that grant programs intentionally identify how the grant serves diverse populations, especially populations experiencing inequities and/or disparities.

Silvia Gonzalez, William Smith.

The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry is offering financial support to qualifying municipalities to begin training the next generation of building inspectors and building officials, both of which are needed to fill positions left by those retiring and to meet the labor demand in the field. The City of Minneapolis Community Planning and Development currently has 64.9% white employees compared to 32.4% BIPOC employees, 2.7% are unidentified. However, the division of Construction Code Services inspectors are currently represented by 37 employees, 16.% of which identify as BIPOC (two of them female)and women represent 16%.

According to the 2017 – 2021 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, the racial demographics of Minneapolis is 18.9% Black, 1.0% American Indian, 5.6% Asian, 9.8% Hispanic or Latino, 4.7% Two or more races alone, and 60.1% white.

The CPED Construction Code Services inspectors are public facing and are disproportionately represented by white males.   Furthermore, Construction Code Services currently has a disproportionate number of men to women, specifically women of color. The trainee will help achieve the City of Minneapolis employee workforce goals.

This grant will assure that the City of Minneapolis homes are safely built and remodeled. The community will be served by businesses that are accessible and safe for all.

A goal of this grant is to provide representation from marginalized groups to an industry that has been historically underrepresented by marginalized groups. The grant will target candidates with experience at the entry level to provide a pathway to career growth and development. The grant will provide assistance to the city in advancing the city’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion goals. The acceptance of this grant will allow the City to hire a trainee, and provide them with the opportunity to complete training hours which is often the main barrier to licensure.

The trainee will successfully complete 2080 hours of work and training. The trainee will obtain the Certified Building Inspector-limited license to obtain work as a building inspector.

Upon acceptance of this grant the City will hire a candidate to fill the role as a trainee. The City will report to the Department of Labor as part of its responsibility of reporting requirements.