Partnership group sets goal for job training
BPC Staff Dec 28, 2015 | 9:31 pm
2 min read time
394 wordsBusiness Record Insider, Economic Development
Education Drives Our Greater Economy (EDGE) — a Greater Des Moines Partnership economic development initiative — today announced a campaign goal of ensuring that 75 percent of Central Iowa adults have postsecondary certificates, credentials or degrees that align with workforce needs by 2025.
The “75×25” campaign goal was formed with input by 140 private and public partners who recognize the role that education and business play in building a sustainable talent pipeline, officials said in a release.
It’s estimated that 68 percent of job openings in the state will require some postsecondary education by 2025, which combined with a low unemployment rate is making it difficult for employers to fill skilled positions.
“It is critically important that we are all working toward the same goal of developing a pipeline of skilled workers for Central Iowa businesses,” said Cyndi Harmeyer Fisher, executive director of EDGE. “The ’75×25′ campaign is a big part of this strategy, as it helps everyone in the region strive to hit a specific benchmark, and this is another great example of regional cooperation and leadership from key Central Iowa stakeholders.”
EDGE co-chairs Chris Littlefield, president and CEO of Fidelity & Guaranty Life, and David Wilkerson, superintendent of the Waukee Community School District, will lead the “75×25” campaign, which encompasses an eight-county area surrounding Des Moines.
“Industries such as finance, health care, advanced manufacturing and others report being unable to find a sufficient number of qualified workers to fill open positions,” Littlefield said.
“EDGE is designed to address the critical need to solving the skills gap facing Central Iowa employers, and it is committed to improving the educational pipeline that is crucial to achieving a skilled workforce and human talent pipeline.”
The EDGE initiative, which was launched in April 2014, is organized into the three areas of focus, each with key metrics to measure progress: Advocacy, Pre-K through 20, and Life Long Learning. The initiative is based on recommendations from the Capital Crossroads report on human capital.
EDGE is focused on aligning existing programs in Central Iowa to ensure that they are working toward the same overarching goal. Some of those programs include United Way of Central Iowa’s “Bridges to Success” initiative to award 10,000 high school equivalency diplomas to Central Iowa residents by 2020, and the National Governors Association’s Future Ready Iowa initiative, a statewide effort to build Iowa’s talent pipeline.
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