Across the globe, the world of work is shifting beneath our feet. From the rolling hills of Northern Minnesota to the bustling city of Shelton, Connecticut, and all the way to the sun-drenched streets of Sydney, Australia, recent developments in employment are painting a complex picture of economic resilience, industrial change, and community adaptation.
In Northern Minnesota, Essentia Health is making headlines for reasons that go well beyond medicine. On September 24, 2025, the healthcare provider spotlighted a new third-party report by economic development firm Northspan, revealing the remarkable breadth of its economic impact throughout the region. According to the study, Essentia Health stands as the largest employer in Crow Wing and Cass counties, with a workforce of 967 staff members spread between St. Joseph's Medical Center and its outlying clinics. But that's just the beginning—its influence ripples outward, indirectly creating another 1,119 jobs in the Brainerd Lakes area alone.
And the story is much the same on the Iron Range. There, Essentia directly employs 849 people across the Virginia, Aurora, and Deer River hospitals, as well as clinics in Babbitt, Ely, Hibbing, Grand Rapids, and International Falls. The organization's presence stimulates an additional 850 indirect jobs in sectors like construction, medical equipment, supply chain, and logistics. It's no exaggeration to say Essentia is one of the largest employers in the region outside of the mining industry.
The numbers are staggering. The Northspan report calculated Essentia’s economic impact by tallying up the organization’s revenue, employee salaries, overall spending, and the goods and services purchased by its employees. The result? A whopping $734 million in the Brainerd area and $583 million on the Iron Range and beyond. That’s not just a shot in the arm for local economies—it’s a lifeline.
Todd Defreece, Essentia’s senior vice president of operations, summed it up in a news release: "We are proud to deliver exceptional, nationally recognized care to tens of thousands of patients in the Brainerd Lakes area every year. This report shows that our team’s work also has a major impact on community health and economic stability in the region."
Local leaders were quick to echo the sentiment. Matt Kilian, president of the Brainerd Lakes Chamber of Commerce, pointed out, "When people think about the Brainerd Lakes Area, tourism usually comes to mind. What many people don’t realize is that health care is one of our biggest economic drivers and a major reason people choose to live in the area." Ida Rukavina, Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation Commissioner, added, "Access to high quality health care is foundational to our communities and crucial to the future of the Iron Range. This report shows that Essentia does more than just care for Iron Rangers: they play an important economic role in our communities by supporting good-paying jobs in and outside of their hospitals and clinics. As rural health care continues navigating new challenges, we must stand together with the organizations that support the health and economic strength of communities across the region."
Yet, while communities in Minnesota are celebrating the positive ripple effects of a thriving healthcare provider, others are bracing for the impact of industrial change. On the same day Essentia’s report was released, PerkinElmer, an analytical equipment maker with a storied history, informed Connecticut’s Department of Labor that it will be closing its factory at 710 Bridgeport Avenue in Shelton. The closure, scheduled for April 1, 2026, will result in the layoff of 68 employees—a process set to unfold in several phases, with the first round of layoffs beginning on November 24, 2025.
PerkinElmer, known for its contributions to industries ranging from biopharma to environmental science—and perhaps most famously for its work on the Hubble Telescope—has been a fixture in Fairfield County since it moved there in 1941, four years after its founding. While the manufacturing operations are relocating outside Connecticut, the company isn’t pulling out of Shelton entirely. Still, for the 68 workers affected, the news hits hard.
Company officials were not immediately available to comment, and Shelton Mayor Mark Lauretti was also unavailable at the time of reporting. Bill Purcell, president and CEO of the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce in Shelton, offered some reassurance: "They are a valued employer and a valued community member. We work with the state, job training organizations and others to help the people who are being laid off find jobs." It's a reminder that, even as companies evolve and adapt, the human impact of such decisions remains front and center for local leaders and affected families alike.
Zooming out to the international stage, the labor market in Australia is showing its own signs of change. On September 25, 2025, the Australian Bureau of Statistics released figures indicating that job vacancies fell 2.7% in the three months ending in August. The decline was led by a 3.4% drop in private sector vacancies, while the public sector actually saw a 2.2% rise. Overall, vacancies fell in 11 out of 18 industries, with services taking the biggest hit, though retail and wholesale bucked the trend with gains.
Despite the drop, the total number of vacancies—327,200—remains 44% above pre-pandemic levels. However, the labor market is undeniably loosening. The number of unemployed people per vacancy rose to 2.0, up from 1.9, marking the highest level since February 2021. Employment growth has slowed markedly in recent months, and the unemployment rate has edged up only slightly to 4.1%.
The Australian experience is a study in contrasts: while job openings are still historically high, the pace of hiring is slowing, and more people are competing for each available position. It’s a scenario that policymakers and business leaders will be watching closely, as it could signal broader shifts in the country’s economic momentum.
What do these three stories—spanning continents, industries, and economic climates—have in common? They underscore the delicate balance between growth and contraction, opportunity and uncertainty. In Minnesota, the healthcare sector is acting as a bulwark against rural economic decline, providing not just vital services but also thousands of jobs and millions in economic output. In Connecticut, the departure of a major manufacturer is a sobering reminder of the challenges faced by communities reliant on legacy industries, even as local organizations rally to support displaced workers. And in Australia, the evolving labor market reflects the push and pull of post-pandemic recovery, with both optimism and caution in the air.
As the world of work continues to evolve, the stories of Essentia Health, PerkinElmer, and the Australian labor market offer a window into the hopes, anxieties, and resilience of communities everywhere. The only certainty is that change is coming—and how we respond will shape the economies and societies of tomorrow.
