The Calhoun County Economic Development Corporation is partnering with Iowa Workforce Development and the Iowa Economic Development authority to conduct a workforce study. The Laborshed employment study will concentrate its focus in the Lake City area and will geographically define the communities that contribute to the Lake City workforce. “Though the focus of the study will be Lake City,” says Katie Lippold, the Labor market Research Economist with Iowa Workforce Development, “the results of it will be applicable to other employment centers in Calhoun County, as the workforce characteristic data collected will presumably be similar for each area.” Lippold explains that the study requires a central city be chosen to define a commuting pattern. The purpose of the study is to measure the availability and characteristics of Lake City workers. These are considered useful tools for economic development teams and existing or prospective employers to understand where Lake City’s workforce resides. Once the Laborshed area is determined, confidential residential telephone surveys will be conducted. The call will originate out of the Cedar Rapids area, therefore the incoming number will have a 319 area code. Residents may also receive text messages from an 888 number, alerting them to expect a call to take the survey. Questions will cover topics such as employment status, current and desired wages, current and desired benefits, education level and type of occupation. Surveyors will not ask for names, social security numbers, birth dates or other identifiable information.
