Rural Minnesota CEP

What Rural Minnesota CEP does

Rural Minnesota Concentrated Employment Program, Inc. (RMCEP), doing business as Rural Minnesota CEP, is a private non-profit corporation incorporated in 1968 and headquartered in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. The organization delivers workforce development services across a 19-county service area in Northwest and West-Central Minnesota, operating eight CareerForce office locations in Alexandria, Bemidji, Brainerd, Detroit Lakes, Fergus Falls, Little Falls, Moorhead, and Wadena, supplemented by mobile services centered in Bemidji. RMCEP serves two primary customer segments: job seekers (adults, youth, individuals with disabilities, veterans, and justice-involved individuals) and employers needing hiring, training, and retention support, with services delivered at no cost to end users.

The organization runs a suite of specialized programs including Drive for Five, AgPaths, Ticket to Work, Pathways to Prosperity (P2P), Second Chances Stronger Futures, Minnesota RETAIN, the Inclusive Workforce Employer (I-WE) Designation, and youth career advising across 14+ schools. Core technology is limited to CareerForce Labs (computers, internet, phones, printers, copiers, fax machines) for public job-search use; no proprietary platform, API, or software product is described. Employer-facing financial mechanisms include On-the-Job Training contracts covering up to 50% of new staff wages and Incumbent Worker Training grants covering up to 90% of training costs.

RMCEP is funded primarily by federal, state (Minnesota DEED), and county government sources under the WIOA framework and through targeted state grants. Revenue mechanics are government grant administration plus pass-through tuition funding ($1,602,842 funded to customers). Performance metrics reported on the homepage indicate 3,259 customers helped, 768 employers served, and 898 job seekers employed annually. Leadership is headed by Executive Director Tina Jaster (since 2023), with a management team including regional and program coordinators across offices, governed by a Board of Directors and Workforce Development Board.

Name

Rural Minnesota CEP

Legal name

Rural Minnesota CEP, Inc.

Website

https://rmcep.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Rural Minnesota CEP is a private non-profit workforce development organization serving job seekers and employers across 19 counties in Northwest and West-Central Minnesota through eight CareerForce offices and government-funded training programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workforce Development Services

NAICS

Employment Services (5613), Employment Placement Agencies (561311)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Workforce Support Services & Case Management (Coaching, Wraparound) (EDAAAOAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Workforce Development Programs (WIOA/One-Stop Career Centers) (EDAAAOAA), Workforce & Job-Seeker Services (Community-Based) (EDAAAFAM)

Keywords

• Workforce development services
• Career counseling
• Job training programs
• Employment placement
• Career pathway programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Detroit Lakes

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: RMCEP is a private non-profit corporation funded by federal, state, and county governments. All services are provided at no cost to job seekers and employers. Revenue comes from operating workforce development programs under WIOA and other government workforce initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Rural Minnesota CEP, Inc. (RMCEP) is a private non-profit workforce development organization providing free career counseling, job search assistance, training funding, and employer connection services across Northwest and West-Central Minnesota. Operating under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) framework, the organization delivers services through 8 CareerForce office locations to job seekers (adults, youth, dislocated workers, people with disabilities, veterans) and to employers (through job fairs, On-the-Job Training contracts, and Incumbent Worker Training grants).

Product overview

Rural Minnesota CEP is a private non-profit workforce development organization operating as a CareerForce partner with a distributed services model rather than a unified software product. The core offerings include multiple specialized programs: Drive for Five (training grants for technology, trades, manufacturing, education, and caring professions), AgPaths (agriculture-sector career pathways), Ticket to Work (disability employment support), and Pathways to Prosperity (P2P for disadvantaged adults). Direct services are delivered through eight CareerForce Lab locations providing job search resources, career counseling, and training access, supplemented by employer services including job fairs, On-the-Job Training contracts, and Incumbent Worker Training grants. Youth Services sends career advisors to regional high schools, while specialized programs address populations including veterans, justice-involved individuals, and people with disabilities. The organization functions as a government-funded service provider rather than a technology product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Adult Services Career counseling, job placement assistance, training opportunities, and support services for adults seeking employment or career changes in Northwest and West-Central Minnesota.
• Youth Services / Career Advising Career advisors sent to local schools providing personalized learning plans, career interest assessments, one-on-one advising, resume preparation, internship connections, job shadowing, and work-based learning opportunities for youth.
• Business Services / Employer Services Services helping employers post job openings, host job fairs, access labor market information, conduct interviews, and reduce training costs through On-the-Job Training contracts and Incumbent Worker Training grants.
• CareerForce Lab Career development centers offering computers with internet access, phones, printers, copiers, and fax machines for job searching, resume writing, and accessing training and education information.
• Incumbent Worker Training Program Grant program providing funds to train current employees at cost savings to employers of up to 90% of training costs.
• Drive for Five A workforce training grant program distributing funds to individuals and partners for job training and education in five in-demand career fields: technology, trades, manufacturing, education, and caring professions.
• AgPaths Agriculture-sector career pathway initiative providing education, training, and work-based learning opportunities that lead to employment in Minnesota's agricultural sector.
• Ticket to Work Free, voluntary program helping Social Security disability beneficiaries (SSI/SSDI) learn about workforce reentry options, providing benefits advisement and career counseling.
• Pathways to Prosperity (P2P)

Quantifiable outcome

• 898 job seekers employed through RMCEP assistance
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocated in Wahpeton, NDSCS offers training and credential options in agriculture production and support services for the AgPaths program.
• SPROUTcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization bringing expertise on emerging farmer pathways and workforce readiness to the agriculture space for AgPaths initiative.
• AgCentriccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram that bridges the gap between agricultural business operations and education in the region.
• Minnesota State Community and Technical CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides higher-education training infrastructure and support for workforce development programs.
• Central Lakes College (CLC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity college serving as a key training provider in the region for career development programs.
• Region 5 Development CommissionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEconomic development team supporting Cass, Crow Wing, Morrison, Todd, and Wadena counties.
• Midas TruckingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce partner assisting RMCEP in understanding agricultural logistics needs.
• Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary state agency partner providing workforce development funding and alignment under WIOA framework. DEED awards grants including Drive for Five ($750,000), AgPaths ($500,000), and disability support grants ($3.4 million) to RMCEP.
• Fargo Moorhead West Fargo Chamber of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners on workforce events including the 2026 Workforce Forum and supports DEI efforts aligned with Drive for Five program.
• CareerForcecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStatewide network of career centers that RMCEP operates within. RMCEP runs CareerForce labs in 8 locations as part of this collaborative network.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Goodwill Industries International: Goodwill Industries is one of the largest U.S. non-profit workforce development operators, providing job training, placement, and career services to people with barriers to employment. Highly comparable to RMCEP in mission and target populations (disability, justice-involved, low-income), but operates at national scale across thousands of retail-funded locations.
• ResCare Workforce Services (now BrightSpring): ResCare (now part of BrightSpring Health Services) is a national provider of workforce development, vocational rehabilitation, and human services. Directly comparable to RMCEP in operating WIOA programs and serving people with disabilities, but at a much larger national scale as a for-profit entity.
• MAXIMUS (Workforce Services): MAXIMUS is a publicly traded government services company that administers workforce development, unemployment, and human services programs under contract with state and federal agencies. Comparable to RMCEP in operating model (WIOA-aligned services, employer matching, training coordination) but at much larger scale and with broader public-sector portfolio.

Regional players

• CareerSource Florida: CareerSource Florida is the statewide network of workforce development boards that operate Florida's One-Stop Career Centers under WIOA. Directly comparable to RMCEP in operating model (One-Stop centers, career counseling, employer services, training funding) but operates exclusively in Florida.
• Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency (AEOA): AEOA is a Community Action Program non-profit serving Northeastern Minnesota with workforce development, Head Start, and anti-poverty programs. Operates as a regional peer to RMCEP within Minnesota, addressing similar populations in an adjacent but non-overlapping service territory.

Direct peers

• Equus Workforce Solutions: Equus Workforce Solutions is a direct WIOA service provider operating workforce development programs across multiple U.S. states, including career counseling, job placement, and employer services. Operates under similar government-funded employment-services model as RMCEP and serves comparable disadvantaged populations.
• National Able Network: National Able Network is a non-profit workforce development organization providing career services to people with disabilities, veterans, and other underserved populations across multiple states. Direct overlap with RMCEP's Ticket to Work program and disability-services mission.
• SER National (SER Jobs for Progress): SER National is a national network of non-profit workforce development organizations serving Hispanic and other disadvantaged populations with job training, career counseling, and employer connections. Operates under the same WIOA framework as RMCEP and addresses similar populations with barriers to employment.

Others

• Jobs for the Future (JFF): Jobs for the Future is a national non-profit focused on workforce development research, policy, and program design for low-income and underrepresented populations. While not a direct service-delivery peer, JFF shapes the WIOA policy environment in which RMCEP operates and partners with similar workforce intermediaries.
• Minnesota Workforce Council Association (MWCA): MWCA is the trade association for Minnesota's local workforce development boards and service providers. RMCEP operates as a member/peer to MWCA's constituency of workforce development organizations within Minnesota's WIOA system.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/RMCEP
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rural-minnesota-cep-inc.
• Xx.com/RuralMinnCEP

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rural Minnesota CEP