"Iowa Workforce Shortage on the Horizon, Technical and Skilled Opportunities Available Across the State of Iowa"

DES MOINES – Iowa’s statewide Vacancy and Skills Assessment Study, released today, further substantiates Iowa’s workforce shortage, starting now and moving well into the future. Iowa employers reported nearly 50,000 current vacancies, potential retirements topping 150,000 and additional job growth through planned businesses expansions.

“The statewide results clearly underscores the need for additional training opportunities for Iowans,” indicated Iowa Workforce Development Director, Elisabeth Buck. “A targeted emphasis on retraining and up-skilling opportunities for Iowans to ensure they receive the necessary skills to fill these available positions is critical for meeting the workforce shortage head on.”

Over thirty-four percent of Iowa’s current vacancies fall in the Services and Healthcare occupational categories. A significant number of occupations in both categories require a two-year associate’s degree or less to meet the educational requirements of the positions. When looking at pending retirements across the state, over forty-nine percent fall within three industries: educational services, manufacturing and healthcare. Additionally, over thirty-five percent of the vacancies created due to retirements have an educational requirement of an associates or vocational degree.

Iowa Workforce Development will be evaluating the information by Iowa’s economic regions and releasing detailed reports for those areas in the near future.