Iowa’s Creative Corridor
Regional Workforce Development Plan
Overview of the Planning Process
Overview
The overarching goal of the Iowa’s Creative Corridor’s Regional Workforce Development Plan is to better align the region’s current and future workforce to meet the needs of the employers in the seven-county region made up of Benton, Cedar, Iowa, Johnson, Jones, Linn and Washington counties. The Regional Workforce Development Plan was developed through an extensive process involving countless employers and organizations from across the region. The planning process was initiated by Kirkwood Community College, Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance and Iowa City Area Development Group. Throughout the process the three organizations have provided leadership and overall project management.
A critical initial step in the planning process was the completion of a multi-faceted situational analysis designed to gain a greater understanding of the region’s workforce characteristics and to identify the needs of key industry clusters in the Creative Corridor Region. One important component of the situational analysis was the completion of the Clusters Employment and Staffing Pattern Summary for the Corridor Allianceby the University of Northern Iowa’s Institute for Decision Making and Iowa Workforce Development. The report contains a detailed review of the composition and characteristics of the workforce within the region’s thirteen primary industry clusters based on key employers in the region.
A second important component of the situational analysis was the completion of18 focus groups(July to October 2013) heldaround the region. Over 200 individuals participated representing employers, educational institutions, community-based organizations, long-term unemployed individuals and underemployed individuals and younger workers (Millenials). In the focus groups the participant were asked to react to the results of the Clusters Employment and Staffing Pattern Summary for the Corridor Alliance and provide input on workforce challenges employers face and potential workforce solutions to be considered to address those challenges. Five overall themes emerged out of the focus group input (See Box 1)
Plan Development
To assist in developing the Regional Workforce Development Plan, a Regional Workforce Development Coalition was established. The Coalition’s members represent regional employers and businesses, school districts, higher education, government, workforce development agencies, non-profit organizations and economic development organizations. The Regional Workforce Coalition held three planning sessions. In the first session, the Coalition focused on understanding the workforce situation, critical workforce issues and potential opportunities identified through the situational analysis. Coalition members reached consensus on the priority workforce issues they felt should be addressed in the Regional Workforce Development Plan.
The Coalition’s second planning session focused on validating the Plan’s three Goals (see Box 2) and identifying strategies currently underway or that could be undertaken in order to accomplish those three goals. Those strategies were developed into draft Objectives. Coalition members also identified potential Lead and Support organizations for each draft Objective as well as potential timelines and progress indicators. In the final planning session the Coalition finalized the draft Regional Workforce Development Plan, discussed an Endorsement and Adoption Process for meeting with the potential implementing organizations and discussed the long-term governance for the Plan.
Plan Adoption, Endorsement and Ongoing Implementation
With the development of the draft Regional Workforce Development Plan, the Workforce Coalition will finalize the creation of a Governance Team that will provide oversight for Plan implementation. The Governance Team will coordinate the outreach to the potential Lead and Support Organizations identified in the draft Plan requesting those organizations provide feedback regarding the draft Plan and to formally adopt and endorse the Plan.
The Goverance Team will work with the Lead Organizations to develop measurable metrics for each of the Plan’s Objectives. These metrics will help indicate progress being made toward implementation.
The Governance Team will publicly unviel the Reigonal Workforce Development Plan after the the potential Lead and Support Organizations have had an opportunity to provide feedback and have agreed to an implementation role. After the unveiling of the Plan the Governance Team will cooridinate progress updates with the Lead and Support Organizations and will provide regular communication and progress updates to the broader community.