By Admin, on January 17th, 2012 BY Kim Didier
IIG Board Member
Recently, the state of Iowa and the counties that comprise the Iowa Innovation Gateway region have been experiencing a decline in the unemployment rate. In fact, for several of the existing companies in the IIG region, they are rapidly expanding employment opportunities. The challenge at hand is to find a skilled and ready workforce to fill these openings. Many of those in the workforce now are not adequately skilled to fill these open positions.
To address this challenge, the Iowa Innovation Gateway is participating in a pilot project with the Central Iowa Workforce Investment Board to become a Certified Work Ready Region focused on the advanced manufacturing sector. This designation would help the IIG region identify skill gaps in the workforce and address training needs ultimately leading to the ability to demonstrate that the communities within the region have an existing labor force which can fill existing job vacancies and meet changing business needs. The Certified Work Ready Region pilot is modeled after similar efforts in Georgia and Oklahoma.
Marion and Jasper counties are the first two counties of the IIG region working toward the Certification designation by targeting these goals:
- 85% of high schools seniors attain a high school diploma or GED
- 25% of high school students hold a National Career Readiness Certificate
- 5% of employers join the National Career Readiness Certificate Employer Consortium
- 3% of existing workforce hold a National Career Readiness Certificate
- 20% of available workforce hold a National Career Readiness Certificate
Over the course of the last few months, IIG Executive Director Denise Rathman and other IIG Board members have been meeting with key stakeholders including educators, economic developers, and business leaders in Marion and Jasper counties to outline a plan to systematically achieve these goals.
This focused effort on becoming a Certified Work Ready region aligns perfectly with IIG’s role as the lead organization supporting the adoption in the state of Iowa of the National Association of Manufacturer’s Endorsed Skills Certification System. The National Career Readiness Certificate is the foundational certification of the NAM System. Furthermore, these efforts continue the work of IIG on its foremost goal of addressing the workforce pipeline of the 7-county region.
There is little doubt in anyone’s mind that the success of a regional economy depends first and foremost on the innovation and skills of the workforce. IIG’s leadership in bringing the Certified Work Ready pilot and the NAM Certification System to the region will ensure that the counties of the region enjoy such economic success.
By Admin, on January 13th, 2012 Iowa Innovation Gateway hosted Emily DeRocco and her team from the Manufacturing Institute for a series of events and meetings this month to discuss the implementation of the National Association of Manufacturers-Endorsed Skills Certification System. According to the Manufacturing institute, “Access to talented individuals with high-quality education and advanced skills is critical to manufacturers' capacity for innovation and business success. Companies continue to report they cannot find individuals with the skills required for today's advanced manufacturing workplaces.” On January 11, Emily DeRocco addressed the Iowa Association of Business and Industry board and asked them to use the Skills Certification System in their hiring processes. The team also met with the Central Iowa Works Advanced Manufacturing Workforce Partnership and explained to them what the Skills Certification System could do for them.
The next day, at Accu-mold in Ankeny, Emily and her team provided a day of technical assistance to community college representatives from across the state on how to integrate the Skills Certification System into what they are already doing. Community college representatives were able to share what they are currently offering for those seeking certification in advanced manufacturing skills and what their next steps in this process will be. Further events are being planned as result of this training and feedback from the community college representatives who said they would like to learn more and educate more people from their colleges.
Paul Gregoire, Vice President of Global Human Resources at Emerson/Fisher Controls and President of the Iowa Innovation Gateway Board of Directors finds great value in the NAM Skills Certification System as an employer. Gregoire said, "The NAM Skills Certification System provides a consistent, reliably educated individual with skills needed in businesses today. The NAM SCS could serve to better connect the educational efforts of our K-12 system and community colleges while upgrading the educational level across the state for those not planning to attend a 2 or 4 year university.”
By Admin, on January 9th, 2012 (DES MOINES) – Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds today released their final recommendations for restoring Iowa’s standing as a leader in education and preparing all students to compete for jobs in a global economy.
The document represents an overview of proposed education legislation that will be presented by the Governor and Lt. Governor in the 2012 session.
The recommendations stay true to three key areas outlined in a blueprint for education reform released by the Branstad-Reynolds administration in October: highly effective teachers and leaders, high expectations for all students with fair measures for results, and innovation that boosts learning.
“Iowans have played a critical role as we’ve worked to elevate the conversation about improving our schools,” Branstad said. “These proposals will put us on the path to make Iowa schools among the best in the world.”
World-class schools are one of four top priorities set by Branstad and Reynolds. The administration has worked for the past year to carve out a long-term, reform-minded policy direction that builds from Iowa’s strengths and adopts improvements with lessons learned from the highest-performing systems in the world.
In July, the Branstad-Reynolds administration convened an education summit to discuss ideas about what it takes to lead the world in education. Continue reading Administration unveils final recommendations for world-class schools
By Admin, on January 6th, 2012 From the Business Record:
BY JOE GARDYASZ
Senior Staff Writer
An estimated 5 percent of U.S. manufacturing positions go unfilled because companies can't find workers with the necessary skills.
To address this so-called skills gap in the state, the Iowa Innovation Gateway, an economic development collaboration of seven Central Iowa counties, has partnered with the Manufacturing Institute and the Lumina Foundation to bring a new national skills certification program to Iowa.
On Jan. 12, officials with the Manufacturing Institute, an arm of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), will meet with representatives from Iowa community colleges at Accumold LLC in Ankeny to discuss how to implement the Manufacturing Skills Certification System.
"The goal of the meeting is to provide technical assistance to the community college system about implementing the certification system," said Denise Rathman, executive director of the Iowa Innovation Gateway, whose goals include developing a regional talent development system for Central Iowa.
Iowa is among 10 states that received a $10,000 planning grant from the Lumina Foundation, an Indianapolis-based foundation focused on expanding access to higher education, to help launch the training program. The state is seeking funding from the U.S. Department of Labor for the program.. Rathman said the certification program will focus on training in welding, metalworking, manufacturing engineer and production technologist positions.
CLICK HERE to read this article on The Business Record website.
By Admin, on November 20th, 2011 This course is for anyone with an interest in global trade, including students at the community college or university level.
Based on information from James F. Foley’s book, “The Global Entrepreneur: Taking your Business International,” this multidisciplinary elective course is designed to help you understand and address the complex issues associated with business operations in today’s global economy. The course addresses trade transactions related to importing and exporting, logistical knowledge, as well as ethical issues that arise in international trade.
You’ll gain practical knowledge in Global Business Management, Global Marketing, Global Supply Chain Management, and Trade Finance. The course has two goals:
1. Prepare you for working in the global marketplace; and if you are interested, 2. Prepare you for the Certified Global Business Professional certification exam (CGBP) offered by North American Small Business International Trade Educators (NASBITE). Registration begins November 14; to register, visit the course description page in our online course catalog ISIS, at http://isis.uiowa.edu/courses.
Contact Terry Boles at 319–335–0947 or email terry–boles@uiowa.edu for more information about this course.
Interested students must have taken 06T:120 (ENTR:3520) or 06J:125 (MGMT:3100) prior to enrolling or receive consent of the instructor.
CLICK HERE for course flyer.
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OUR MISSION
Connecting Iowa Commerce and Communities at the intersection of workforce development, economic development and education to enhance regional economic vitality.
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