Iowa has much to offer grads

By Gov. Terry Branstad

----

Thousands of new graduates from Iowa's foremost academic institutions soon will be embarking on career searches. Many will find themselves in a position to take a national approach to their job hunts. However, I would like to encourage the fine young men and women of this state to consider Iowa first.

The Midwest, and Iowa in particular, has shown steady economic growth since the onset of the recession. Our state's advanced manufacturing, biotech, agricultural and financial and tech sectors have kept Iowa's unemployment rate well below the national average year after year.

Iowa's quality of life cannot be beat. Our low cost of living and premier educational system make it a perfect place to start a family and establish roots. Congressional Quarterly Press consistently ranks Iowa as one of the most livable states in the nation.

While all of Iowa's cities have much to offer residents, Cedar Rapids is a particularly fine choice for recent graduates. It has a strong and growing economy and has been lauded nationally for its economic merits. Forbes magazine ranked it as one of the Best Places for Business and Careers in 2010, 2011 and 2012. It was ranked 33rd out of the 200 largest metropolitan statistical areas on a variety of factors including job growth, income growth and educational attainment.

Adding to the high praise, Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine placed Cedar Rapids on its Top 12 Best Cities for High Paying Jobs in 2012, because of its below-average unemployment and above-average income growth. Kiplinger's also named Cedar Rapids one of the Top 10 Best Value Cities of 2011.

There are over a dozen Fortune 500 companies and more than 25 foreign-based companies in the Cedar Rapids area. Utilizing the highest level of technology in their industries, corporate centers of excellence include Rockwell Collins, International Automotive Components, Transamerica, Toyota Financial Services and Acciona North America, just to name a few.

As in the rest of the state, the quality of life in Cedar Rapids is exceptional. The area offers parks, trails, museums, art galleries, wineries, festivals, Kernels, Titans and RoughRiders sports events, and natural resources such as the Cedar River, Coralville Lake and Lake Macbride.

Iowa has much to offer the graduating class of 2013. For those planning careers close to home, Cedar Rapids provides a wealth of opportunities.

And for those recent grads still unsure of where to focus their job search, I can say with confidence that Iowa is a good place to start.

Terry Branstad is governor of Iowa. Comments: tim.albrecht@iowa.gov