Iowa in ‘midst of workforce crisis,’ report says

There's a stark message for Iowa in a new report from the state's governor and workforce agency - Iowa is 'in the midst of a workforce crisis.”

'Iowans celebrate the fact that our unemployment rate is low and our economy is growing, but without a significant enhancement to our state's workforce education and training, our competitiveness could evaporate,” the Metrics That Matter report reads.

The message opens a report released Tuesday about what Iowa will need to meet a goal of 70 percent of its workforce having training after high school by 2025.

Fifty-eight percent of Iowa workers between 25 and 64 have a post-high school degree or credential. Another 127,700 residents would need that training to meet the state's goals, according to the report.

Former Gov. Terry Branstad formed a group last year, the Future Ready Iowa Alliance, to meet the 70 percent goal. Branstad, current Gov. Kim Reynolds and business leaders have pushed the initiative as a way to prepare Iowa's workers for a future that will require more education beyond high school.

The state won't be able to rely solely on its current students to meet the 70 percent goal, according to the report, meaning more older Iowans would need to earn post-high school degrees or receive training.

Here's how the report suggests Iowa can meet the goal by 2025:

l Another 41,200 Iowans aged 18 to 24 will need to earn degrees or credentials after high school.

l About 35,200 residents aged 25 to 64 who started but did not complete college or other training programs could return and finish their programs.

l The rest of the postsecondary degrees or credentials would need to be earned by 51,300 Iowans who have no postsecondary education.

The report comes as Iowa faces some good economic signs, even with troubles for agriculture. Iowa's unemployment rate is the lowest its been in about 16 years, and the state's gross domestic product ended at a high last year.

Even so, employers in Iowa consistently have said it is difficult to fill open spots, in part due to a lack of qualified job candidates. Some economists have pointed to Iowa's slower population growth and more retirements as contributing factors.

Recommendations from the Future Ready Iowa Alliance on how to meet the Future Ready goal are expected at the end of October.

l Comments: (319) 398-8366; matthew.patane@thegazette.com