Skills 2014 Data Guides Economic Development Workforce Programming

Report Corroborates Current Programming; Offers New Recommendations

Work is already underway for Priority One and the Iowa City Area Development Group (ICAD Group) to address workforce development recommendations in the “Skills 2014” report which was released by Kirkwood Community College.  The Skills 2014 report was produced cooperatively by Kirkwood Community College, Priority One, ICAD Group and local development organizations.  It focuses on the projected workforce demand in the seven-county region Kirkwood serves, through 2014.

Priority One and ICAD Group are committed to evolving workforce development programming based on the recommendations in the report.

“Workforce development is an ongoing process and the ‘Skills 2014’ report helps reinforce the significance of what we’ve been doing,” said Joe Raso, ICAD Group President.  “Certainly, there are new approaches to consider, but past programs such as Iowa’s National Career Readiness Certificate and alumni engagement were derived from previous reports and both will continue to address workforce needs in this region.”

The Cedar Rapids/Iowa City region continues to experience growth in biotechology, renewable energy, information technology and innovation based sectors.  Employers are projecting more than 11,000 new and replacement workers will be needed in the coming years and many of these positions require specific educational backgrounds and skill sets.  ICAD Group and Priority One work with employers and educators to address skill gaps, develop training programs, and recruit workforce.

Work-based learning experiences, specifically internship programs and job shadowing, are a few ways to connect potential workforce to area job opportunities as well as quality of life.

“One of the recommendations presented in the Skills 2014 report is that we need to continue to encourage employer commitment to internships and job shadowing,” said Dee Baird.  “We believe continued investment in education and workforce systems that support work-based learning experiences will help our community attract and retain the next generation worker, thus building a pipeline of qualified workers for our region.”

In addition to the “Skills 2014” report, the Strategic Skills Alignment report, commissioned by ACT, was introduced at the news conference.  The purpose of the Strategic Skills Alignment report is to support the regional workforce and economic development planning process.   The report provides a summary of the current and projected industry and occupation employment mix for the region as well as skills required for in-demand occupations and training capacity of the region to meet current and prospective employer needs.

Combined, these studies represent the future skills gap/workforce supply and demand in the seven-county area.  The “Skills” report series, in addition to local data collected through existing industry surveys, labor reports, and wage/benefit studies, are excellent tools to measure and accurately report the status and trends of the regional workforce.