Invest in our state’s workers

By Anessa Kajtazovich

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As the first person in my family to graduate from college, I feel fortunate. I am proud to say I'm the product of two outstanding institutions of higher education in the Cedar Valley - the University of Northern Iowa and Hawkeye Community College.

I'm sure it's no surprise to many that I have been a strong advocate for quality education and jobs for Iowans during my campaign and as a legislator. During my tenure as a lawmaker, I have had the pleasure of meeting with many successful business leaders to share ideas on how to expand and attract new businesses to Iowa.

In addition, as a member of the Economic Development Budget Sub-Appropriations Committee, I have heard from the business community about job creation and expansion in Iowa.

At the top of their list is the need for a skilled workforce. That concern may come as a surprise to some, considering that many groups want the public to believe the only indicator of job creation revolves around taxes. However, our current economic recovery is telling us a different story.

Recent employment numbers show advanced manufacturing continues to be the major driver of Iowa's economy. In fact, over the last year, Iowa has added more than 5,000 manufacturing jobs - leading all sectors of the economy. And manufacturing has been identified by state leaders as one of the three industry clusters upon which the state's future wealth will rely on. Not only are new positions being added in this area but workers will be needed to replace many retirees and baby boomers. These are good-paying jobs that support the economic vitality of our community and state.

As a state, we need to be more focused on the critical shortage of skilled workers our business partners are faced with. There are approximately 600 positions open in advanced manufacturing in the region served by Hawkeye Community College. Companies such as Deere, Schoitz Engineering, and Power Engineering & Manufacturing are just a few of those businesses expressing concerns about this shortage and their future workforce needs.

Innovation is also critical to our economy. I visited the UNI Business Center and Metal Casting Lab to see how important education is to our employers. Last year alone, the center helped three foundry-based companies locate to Iowa. Many businesses across the state have told me how critical this partnership is.

I will continue to support job creation efforts in Iowa. We can't grow our economy without investing in our workers.

Anesa Kajtazovich is a state legislator from Waterloo. Comments: anesa.iowahouse@gmail.com