Minnesota’s Department of Employment and Economic Development released new figures showing the state gained 11,200 jobs in July and the unemployment rate dropped to 3 percent, the lowest level since 2000.

Senator Jeremy Miller (R-Winona), Chair of the Senate Jobs and Economic Growth Committee, released the following statement:

“Minnesotans are enjoying the best job market in almost two decades. Our next big challenge will be solving worker shortages, so we need to make sure students can get hands-on experience and vocational training in high-demand industries. Republicans at the state legislature have already worked in a bipartisan way to implement new student apprenticeship programs, open up high school classrooms to teachers with specialized skills, and support specialized job training programs to keep our economic engine running strong.”