MINNESOTA DIVERSIFIED INDUSTRIES INC

MDI IS A SOCIAL ENTERPRISE BUSINESS MODEL EMPLOYING BOTH PEOPLE WITH AND WITHOUT DISABILITIES. INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES DEVELOP SKILLS THROUGH TRAINING AND SUPPORT WHICH ALLOWS THEM TO GAIN EXPERIENCE AND EARN MORE THAN MINIMUM WAGE AND BENEFITS. EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT IS INHERENT IN OUR WORK WITH EMPLOYEES WITH DISABILITIES, GETTING OPPORTUNITIES TO GAIN SKILLS THAT ALLOW THEM TO APPLY FOR AND GET PROMOTIONS. MDI ALSO OFFERS WORK AND TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR SCHOOLS, COUNTY AND REHABILITATION AGENCIES. MDI'S VISION IS MEANINGFUL EMPLOYMENT FOR ALL PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. IN 2024, UNIFIED WORK PROVIDED SOFT SKILLS TRAINING AND EXPERIENCES TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES THROUGH 26 CLASSES WITH 500 PARTICIPANTS. CLASSES ARE EITHER IN PERSON OR VIA ZOOM AND ARE EFFECTIVE NOT ONLY FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES BUT ALSO PEOPLE WITH OTHER BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT. NEW SERVICE OPTIONS INCLUDE: 1. LAUNCHING OF THE UNIFIED WORK ONLINE LEARNING PLATFORM SO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES CAN HAVE ACCESS TO SIMILIAR EXPERIENCES AT ANY TIME, ALMOST ANYWHERE. 2. OFFERING VIRTUAL REALITY WORK EXPERIENCES THAT PROVIDE THREE TO FIVE MINUTE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES TO GET EXPERIENCES IN A VARIETY OF INDUSTRIES AND ACTUALLY SEE WHAT IT MIGHT BE LIKE TO WORK IN A JOB THAT THEY HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED. 3. DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THREE STEM BOXES HAVE BEEN CREATED, STEM CIRCUITS, STEM INVENT AND STEM ROBOT TO GIVE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES EXPERIENCES WORKING IN THE INDUSTRY OF ELECTRICITY. THESE AND FUTURE STEM BOXES CAN GIVE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITES ACCESS TO CAREERS THAT THEY HAVE NEVER THOUGHT OF PURSUING.