By Admin, on May 1st, 2012 From the Office of the Governor
The Governor's Office and the Iowa Mathematics and Science Education Partnership (IMSEP) announced today the launch of a new Web site which offers Iowans an online one-stop shop for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education and innovation information.
The Web site, www.IowaSTEM.gov offers comprehensive access to essential STEM information for educators, students, families and children.
"We are excited to provide this resource for Iowans," said Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds, co-chair of the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council along with University of Northern Iowa President Benjamin Allen. "This user-friendly Web site brings everyone up to date on the importance of STEM. From learning what is happening in state-level STEM, to fun activities families can do at home to spark that sense of wonder with their children, there is something here for everyone."
The Web site targets a broad range of interests with each page providing detailed information about education, civic and recreational opportunities and innovation happenings across the state. This page will also serve as the landing page for the Governor's STEM Advisory Council, showcasing Iowa's targeted priorities for action planning. Designers considered three main audiences when regarding site content: students, educators and parents. Students can look for STEM careers, cool Web sites and click through Iowa’s community college offerings, as well as public and private colleges and universities. Parents will like the various resources to invigorate their children's interest in math, science, engineering and technology as well as links to STEM events occurring around the state. Educators can browse for classroom resources and afterschool programming ideas.
"The new Web site, IowaSTEM.gov, is a powerful extension of the work of the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council," said Jeff Weld, the council’s executive director. “Our promise to deliver to citizens of the state a world-class STEM education includes delivery on access to information and opportunity, which the new site helps us to do.”
The creation of the Web site was a collaboration of IMSEP and Iowa Interactive, a subsidiary of NIC. Iowa Interactive also created the governor and lt. governor’s Web sites.
The Iowa Mathematics and Science Education Partnership is the operations arm for the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council and is a state-funded initiative led by the University of Northern Iowa. IMSEP’s goals are to improve mathematics and science performance of Iowa students; to prepare more high quality mathematics and science teachers for Iowa’s schools; and to promote statewide collaboration and cooperation. For more information, please contact the IMSEP offices at (319) 273-2716, imsep@uni.edu or visit www.iowamathscience.org.
About Iowa Interactive
Iowa Interactive built and manages the official Web site for the state of Iowa (Iowa.gov) and partners with state and local entities to bring new government services online. Iowa Interactive is a service of IOWAccess and is managed by the Department of Administrative Services and the eGovernment firm NIC (NASDAQ: EGOV – News).
About NIC
NIC Inc. is the nation's leading provider of official government websites, online services, and secure payment processing solutions. The company's innovative eGovernment services help reduce costs and increase efficiencies for government agencies, citizens, and businesses across the country. Our popular self-funded solution allows government to put in-demand services online without using taxpayer funds. The NIC family of companies currently provides cost-effective eGovernment solutions for more than 3,500 federal, state, and local agencies in the United States. Additional information is available at www.egov.com.
By Admin, on February 16th, 2012 On March 8th, the regional winners in the MyEntre.Net Dream Big Grow Here contest will compete for $10,000 in a Statewide Pitch Off.
Small business owners and emerging entrepreneurs from around the state took part in multiple, regional Dream Big Grow Here contests online this past year. After nearly 100,000 visitors weighed in, seven unique winners emerged and will compete March 8th in Ames for a $10,000 grand prize! Go Topless Glassware was the winner in the regional event hosted by Iowa Innovation Gateway and will be competing for the $10,000 prize. Join us as these small business owners set out to win the grand prize during Iowa’s annual EntreFest conference
Eeah regional winner will have the opportunity to showcase their business and ‘pitch’. The pitch off begins at 5:30pm, on March 8th with opening remarks by lead sponsor John Sorensen of the Iowa Bankers Association. This year’s celebrity emcee is Debi Durham of the Iowa Economic Development Authority.
To learn more about each winner go to http://www.dreambiggrowhere.com. Dream Big Grow Here contests were created at the University of Northern Iowa by the MyEntre.Net team, and are sponsored by the Iowa Bankers Association, Renew Rural Iowa, the Community Vitality Center, the Iowa Area Development Group, the Iowa Economic Development Authority, Technology Association of Iowa, and VentureNet. Join these sponsors, winners, and other small business owners at the Dream Big Grow Here pitch-off! Customers, family and friends welcome- refreshments and cash bar will be available.
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
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