For Immediate Release
Contact:
Kerry Koonce: (515) 281-9646
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Iowa Workforce Development’s 100-Day Initiative Assists in Strategic Planning
MARSHALLTOWN – Iowa Workforce Development Director Elisabeth Buck is utilizing her first 100 Days on the job to gather information on how effective IWD is at meeting client needs, what additional programs may be needed and if there are areas in need of improvement. All of the information gathered will enhance the final 100-Day Report to be released in December.
“I feel it is critical to the agency to take this time and review our programs, hear from our customers and staff and gather important information that will guide the agency’s strategic initiatives form the next few years. I want to ensure that IWD is serving all of its customers in the most efficient and proactive way possible,” indicated Director Elisabeth Buck.
Iowa Workforce Development provides essential services that touch the lives of nearly every Iowan or business at some point. Be it assistance with finding employment or employees, ensuring that our workforce has a safe environment, assisting individuals and companies with unemployment or workers’ compensation related issues, or utilizing our wealth of workforce data to assist individuals and businesses with their decisions.
The IowaJobs.org Web site was recently enhanced to become the primary source for companies to post their current openings. The recent enhancements include the opportunity to “scrape” jobs off of companies and post all of the positions on IowaJobs.org, completely automating the process for Iowa employers and increasing the number of available positions in one location for Iowa jobseekers.
A recent product developed by the department is the Workforce Skills Assessment. Designed to identify the types of potential vacancies occurring within an organization now and in the future and the skill sets needed to fill those vacancies, it will be a valuable tool for the state to utilize in meeting the workforce challenges in the near future.
“Our next step is to take the program statewide. We certainly expect to see differences across the state, and plan to have a report ready in early 2008,” stated Director Buck.
Iowa Workforce Development envisions a future where Iowa has safe workplaces, a productive and economically secure workforce, and where Iowans are prepared for an ever-changing future.