North
Dakota Business
North Dakota's economy is still primarily a rural and agricultural one, and business development has been hampered in the past by problems with population exodus and the lack of a "dominant metropolitan region", as the State Strategic Plan termed it, within the state.
The area of the Northern Great Plains is lagging behind the general rate of development within the nation, and statistics point towards a concentration of employment and residents within metropolitan areas. This is emphasised by the fact that only Minnesota, with the metropolitan area of Minneapolis-St Paul, is matching national growth in the region.
North Dakota generally has a well-educated workforce and state efforts have therefore been focused on reversing the trend towards emigration of the the younger and skilled workforce and increasing the amount of attractive employment available in the high-tech industries within the state.
Strategically, the state is attempting to grow its business opportunities in the following areas:
Advanced Manufacturing
Information Technology
Value-Added Agriculture
Tourism
Energy
The state government is energetically promoting various economic development programs and schemes to encourage new business within North Dakota.
State
Business Resources
North
Dakota Department of Commerce
North Dakota Department of Commerce Division of Economic Development & Finance provides advice for those starting businesses or relocating.
www.business.nd.gov
North
Dakota Department of Labor
The Department of Labor site offers information about regulations and laws
in the state, including youth employment and minimum wage requirements,
as well as employment forms.
www.nd.gov/labor
North
Dakota Jobs Service
JobsND has a breakdown of jobs available in North Dakota, facilities for
employers to post vacancies, and a collection of training resources within
the state.
www.jobsnd.com
Greater
North Dakota Chamber of Commerce
The statewide chamber of commerce provides a selection of news, resources,
a members' directory and
a regular business report service.
www.ndchamber.com
City Business Sections
ND-Direct has several specialist business pages for larger communities in North Dakota. The following links head direct to those pages:
