A recent CNNMoney story featured business owners who are having trouble hiring the workers they need. Specifically, they complained that it’s difficult to find “manual machinists, quality control inspectors and machinists trained to use computer-controlled systems.”

In other words, people with the kind of skills that can be taught efficiently in community colleges.

Here in Iowa, a bill being considered by the Iowa Legislature seems like a good way to use an asset – our flourishing community college system – and make progress toward the employment level that we need.

Senate File 2024, introduced by Sen. Jack Kibbie, would set up a program to make tuition grants to students with financial need, but not in a random way. “The bill directs (Iowa Workforce Development), in consultation with the College Student Aid Commission, to issue a quarterly report identifying industries in which the department finds a shortage of skilled workers in this state for the purposes of the program,” according to the explanation attached to the bill.

In other words, figure out what battles Iowa is fighting, then help students find their way into the front lines.

Small-government advocates might question the allocation of $18 million from the general fund every year for this, plus a $2 million “gap tuition assistance fund.” But if we want to take any action beyond waiting for the economy to heal itself, the direct approach seems to make sense.

Spending government money on unspecified education efforts is like throwing a dart. Tailoring the spending to fill needed jobs should result in more companies, more products and more employees buying homes and paying income taxes.

As a society, we have decided that our community colleges need to work closely with the business community to meet real-world needs,. This seems like a sensible way for government to help that process along.