Iowa Workforce Development Communications
For Immediate Release
Date: March 17, 2016
Contact: Courtney Maxwell Greene
Telephone: 515-423-3210
Email: courtney.greene@iwd.iowa.gov
Future Ready Iowa Message from Director Beth Townsend
As I travel across the state and meet with employers across a wide range of industries, I consistently hear about the shortage of candidates with the right skills to fill their jobs. Closing the skills gap is a real problem we need to solve. Critical action is needed to help today’s students prepare for the jobs needed tomorrow. It’s also crucial for employers to stretch beyond traditional pathways to find and develop the talent needed for them to prosper.
This is why the Governor’s 2016 Future Ready Iowa Summit is being held. I encourage all of you to join the conversation and help us develop strategies to move forward. The summit will be held on Tuesday, April 19, at Hy-Vee Hall in Des Moines.
The summit will highlight the following topics:
• Working together more effectively to help Iowans acquire the skills to compete in a fast-changing economy driven by knowledge and technology
• Matching skills to meet business and industry demand
• Better communicating high-demand career opportunities to students, parents and educators
This summit promises to create a broader conversation about the next steps we should take as state. I hope you will register to attend and I look forward to seeing you on April 19. For more information and to register, visit the Future Ready Iowa Summit webpage.
Sincerely,
Beth Townsend
Director, Iowa Workforce Development