Our regional workforce picture? It’s complicated

While many parts of the nation are struggling with high unemployment, declining industries and eroding population, things in our region are vastly different. We are incredibly fortunate that our combination of innovative employers and traditional work ethic have created the opposite scenario, one of low unemployment and a robust, growing economy.

Still, Iowa's Creative Corridor faces different workforce challenges, including staff shortages, skills misalignment and shifting values. Employers are struggling to find the right talent to maintain their growth and remain competitive.

What we have are vexing paradoxes characterized by a mismatch between needs and realities.

Many employers are struggling to find the right talent to maintain their growth and remain competitive. Iowa Workforce Development reports that between 17-44 percent of companies in our state's industry sectors are looking to create net new jobs over the next one to three years, with manufacturing being on the highest end of this spectrum.

But employers and educators often aren't on the same page: Budget constraints have caused many Iowa school districts to reduce or eliminate vocational training programs. This leaves many students entering fields in which they may be over educated, ill prepared or simply uninterested. We also know that many future jobs will require software development skills. Yet, we do not have adequate, rigorous coding curriculum being offered to enough students in our K-12 systems.

We're seeing an influx of young people seeking education: Iowa is educating more young people than ever. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, we import more students from other states, around 8,000 per year, than we lose (around 3,100 Iowa high school graduates are educated in other states per year).

But we can't retain them: Our overall population for 25-29 year olds continues to decline, falling by over 6,000 statewide from 2010-2013, per U.S. Census numbers. One reason is that data from IWD's most recent regional Workforce Needs Assessment shows that 80 percent of current job vacancies require less than an associate degree.

And, something else is changing: Our regional population is one of the few in the state on the rise, yet this growth does not resemble historical trends as a result of the advances which have reshaped the ag sector. For past generations, Iowa's metro areas grew primarily through rural migration. As farms grew in size but shrank drastically in number, there were fewer opportunities in Iowa's small towns, leading many people, like myself, to move to more populated areas. But as the rural population continues to dwindle, so too has the natural pipeline of talent for employers in this region.

There are simply fewer and fewer 'farm kids” growing up with the traditional skills, mechanical aptitudes and work ethic on which employers relied.

The good news is that no one is taking this lying down. Led by Kim Becicka at Kirkwood Community College, a regional task force of educators, economic development professionals, business leaders across all industries and supportive agencies such as the United Way is about to unveil a comprehensive plan for tackling this quiet crisis.

Some of the solutions include:

' Enhanced marketing of the region to recruit a culturally and internationally diverse workforce, including veterans and retiring military members.

' Directly aligning the offerings of our educational institutions with present and future needs of employers.

' Addressing persistent barriers to employment, such as a lack of affordable housing.

' Helping employers become better places to work using workplace culture to attract and retain the best talent.

As a parent, I'm also very excited for the new STEM centers being built. These creative partnerships are providing solutions for manufacturing and building trades careers while simultaneously advancing math and science preparation. These regional centers match current and future skill set needs with curriculum in a manner which is cost effective for our schools and families.

We have a big challenge before us, but whether we're born here or transplanted, Iowans don't run from problems. Our solutions will require effort from a diverse coalition of stakeholders to advance real, sustained change. You will no doubt be hearing more about this Regional Workforce Plan over the coming weeks. When you do, I hope the question it raises is, 'How can I help?”

' Mark Nolte is president of the Iowa City Area Development Group. Comments: MNolte@icadgroup.com.