×

Workforce shortage

Iowa Workforce Development to host roundtable

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson
Chad Pierce, business marketing specialist for Iowa Workforce Development, holds a folder with information about Iowa's workforce at the Iowa Works Fort Dodge office on Thursday. A workforce roundtable with local employers, business members and educators is being held on Wednesday at the Iowa Central Community College East Campus.

WHAT: Fort Dodge Workforce Roundtable hosted by Iowa Workforce Development

WHO: IWD Staff, employers, educators

WHEN: Wednesday from 7:30 a.m. – 9 a.m.

WHERE: Iowa Central Community College East Campus, 2031 Quail Ave.

REGISTER: To register visit this link: https://www.futurereadyiowa.gov/iowa-central-community-college-roundtable-october-27-2021

• The events are being held at no cost to the attendees. Seating is limited.

From truck drivers and food service workers to nurses and teachers, the workforce shortage has left few industries unaffected, according to Chad Pierce, business marketing specialist for Iowa Workforce Development.

“The workforce shortage is a problem that is ongoing throughout the country,” Pierce said. “Specifically, here in North Central Iowa with all the manufacturing companies, we are seeing companies unable to fill the positions they have.”

Pierce believes a variety of factors have come together to cause the shortages.

“Certainly the pandemic and the government stimulus packages (have played a role),” he said. “But there’s also barriers like child care and transportation. People are thinking differently about what that work relationship looks like.”

Iowa’s unemployment rate was 4.1% for the month of August. The unemployment rate in Webster County for August was 4.4%, one of the highest rates in the state.

In an effort to address the various challenges faced by businesses seeking qualified help, Iowa Workforce Development will host a workforce roundable in Fort Dodge on Wednesday. The roundtable is part of a series being held across the state this fall to partner with businesses in addressing the state’s workforce shortage.

All attendees at the roundtables will be provided information regarding existing workforce strategies they can adopt to help meet their needs.

Pierce said available resources will also be highlighted that help with hiring and retraining, collaborating with community and education partners, upskilling employees, and removing barriers such as childcare concerns that sometimes can block Iowans from entering the workforce.

Employers, local business members, and educators are encouraged to attend.

“We have invited several different employers, educators and service providers throughout the area,” Pierce said. “It’s an opportunity to get together and present some information on what services are available.”

Topics like work-based learning and registered apprenticeships will be on the agenda.

“Encouraging companies to think outside the box on how they hire and train individuals,” Pierce said. “It’s a chance to showcase some of those ideas.”

In conjunction with the roundtables, there will also be an opportunity for businesses to take a workforce needs assessment that the state is conducting in October and November.

“A team will come in and uncover some barriers they are facing and come back with solutions and recommendations,” Pierce said.

Employers interested in hosting a workforce assessment can send an email toiwdassessments@iwd.iowa.gov.

The roundtables are designed to be fast paced, brief and early in the morning to best meet employer schedules. It will be the first one in Fort Dodge.

“We are looking for a great turnout,” Pierce said. “I think it will be very beneficial to the community as a whole.”

Potential employees

Residents seeking employment are encouraged to visit the Iowa Workforce Development office, 3 Triton Circle.

“What we try to do at Iowa Works is remove a lot of the barriers people are facing whether that is help with a resume or interviewing skills, we try to work one-on-one with people looking for employment.”

Investing in workforce programs

On Wednesday, Gov. Kim Reynolds announced two new programs to help combat Iowa’s workforce shortage – a new grant program to promote workforce innovation in the manufacturing sector and a new reemployment case management system to refocus Iowa’s unemployment system on rapid reemployment.

Iowa will be investing a total of $30 million in grant opportunities, using federal funds through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), to assist small and medium-sized manufacturing businesses to improve workforce innovation through retention, recruitment of new employees, and leveraging technology solutions to address vacancies and increase workforce capacity.

Advanced manufacturing is Iowa’s largest industry, accounting for nearly 18% of the state’s Gross Domestic Product.

“Like most other states, Iowa’s ongoing workforce shortage is a critical situation that needs addressed today,” Reynolds said. “With our current economic vitality, we are ideally situated to push our economy to new heights. We are committed to providing the necessary support to our advanced manufacturing industry, and other impacted industries, to overcome this primary obstacle and turn this short-term trajectory into long-term, broad-based prosperity.”

The first grant opportunity will supplement the existing Manufacturing 4.0 program for small manufacturers, employing up to 75 employees, with $5 million. The second grant opportunity will invest $25 million to make similar grant opportunities available to mid-size firms employing 76 – 250 employees.

Separately, Iowa Workforce Development will soon be launching a new Reemployment Case Management system to help Iowans get back to work as quickly as possible.

Currently, unemployment recipients do not have to engage with IWD’s re-employment process until week five. Now, IWD will provide one-on-one career coaching at week one and will audit the recipient’s work-search requirements on a weekly basis for those receiving unemployment benefits. With some narrow exceptions, weekly work-search requirements will also double from two to four and the number of activities that qualify as a work search will be reduced from 27 to 12.

“With a significant workforce shortage, I want to be sure that no Iowan who is receiving unemployment benefits unnecessarily remains on the sidelines. This new program and other changes will further that goal,” Reynolds said.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today