Future Ready Iowa Regional Summits announced
(DES MOINES) – Registration for Future Ready Iowa Regional Summits is now open. Summit attendees will collaborate with local partners on workforce solutions.
The day-long summits are scheduled for late September and early October in nine Iowa communities: Atlantic, Burling
“Future Ready Iowa was created to connect more Iowans with rewarding careers and good-paying jobs with Iowa employers,” Gov. Reynolds said of the initiative, which has a goal of 70 percent of Iowa’s workforce having education or training beyond high school by 2025. “The Future Ready Iowa Regional Summits will provide an opportunity for local and regional partners to come together and discuss potential solutions based on their area’s workforce needs and challenges.”
The summits will provide a platform for strategies outlined in the Future Ready Iowa Act, which was passed with unanimous, bipartisan support by the Iowa legislature earlier this year. Each summit will provide tailored discussions on how to find, use and talk about a community’s occupation, income, education and demographic data. Partners will also discuss underrepresented populations, business/education partnerships and preparation for the changing workforce.
“There is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to addressing challenges of our state’s workforce,” Iowa Workforce Development Director Beth Townsend said. “Local stakeholders must be the ones to identify the specific challenges of employers in their area as well as develop solutions through collaboration.”
Planning for the regional summits is reflective of the recommendations proposed by the Future Ready Iowa Alliance, a cross-sector collaboration of 58 leaders across the state. Engaging business, community and other regional partners in a grassroots strategy is an action item suggested by the Alliance in October.
“These will be working summits and highly interactive,” Future Ready Iowa Policy Adviser Kathy Leggett said. “Participants will gain an understanding of our goal, how it relates to their role in the community and take away a toolkit of next steps.”
The summits are being organized by statewide partners in workforce, business and education.
Future Ready Iowa’s goal is for 70 percent of the state’s workforce to have education or training beyond high school by 2025. Its vision is for an Iowa where every job is filled and every worker is fulfilled. Learn more at FutureReadyIowa.gov and register to attend a summit atFutureReadyIowa.gov/Summits.
Future Ready Iowa Regional Summit Dates and Locations
- Burlington - REGISTER
Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2018, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Comfort Suites, 1780 Stonegate Center Dr.
- Davenport - REGISTER
Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2018, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Putnam Museum & Science Center, 1717 W. 12th St.
- Denison - REGISTER
Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2018, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Boulders Conference Center, 2507 Boulders Dr.
- Fort Dodge - REGISTER
Monday, Oct. 1, 2018, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Iowa Central Community College, East Campus - Triton Room, 2031 Quail Ave.
- Muscatine - REGISTER
Friday, Sept. 21, 2018, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Musser Public Library, 408 East 2nd St,Muscatine - Pella - REGISTER
Monday, Oct. 1, 2018, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Central College, 812 University St.
Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2018, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Sukup Manufacturing Corporate Headquarters, 1555 255th Street
- Spencer - REGISTER
Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2018, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Spencer Community Schools Administration Building, 23 East 7th St.
Additional summits are being planned in Ames, Des Moines, Dubuque, Cedar Rapids/Iowa City, Sioux City and Waterloo. For more information about those planning efforts or to inquire about planning a summit in your area, contact Leggett at kathy.leggett@iwd.iowa.gov.
