These strategies are designed to better align our education system with the needs of our employers. This provides a diverse but workforce-ready population on hand to take jobs. This is especially important as more of our current workforce begins to retire. This will make for a resilient and self-sustaining job environment ready for expansion.
Action 1: Collect and review workforce forecast data to identify careers most in-demand. Share data with education and social service partners, parents, and students.
- Timeline: Complete by spring of 2018
- Cost: Cost already included in ICR IOWA budget
- Responsible Parties: Kirkwood and ICR IOWA
- Timeline: Coalition formed and projects confirmed by spring of 2018.
- Cost: Cost already included in ICR IOWA budget
- Responsible Parties: ICR IOWA
- Timeline: Hub to be launched by fall of 2018
- Cost: $10,000
- Responsible Parties: ICR IOWA
- Timeline: Annual goals will be established beginning in 2019
- Cost: NA
- Responsible Parties: ICR IOWA, Kirkwood Community College – Workplace Learning Connection
- Timeline: Pilot to begin by spring of 2018
- Cost: NA
- Responsible Parties: ICR IOWA, Kirkwood Community College, Grantwood AEA
Several metrics will be used to measure success in this area; including: number of school districts who adopt pathway curriculum, number of students who decide to pursue a critical career path, number of students who achieve a post-secondary certification or degree in a critical career path. These metrics will continue to be measured by economic development stakeholders over the next five years.