For the second consecutive month, Iowa has recorded the second lowest unemployment rate in the nation. Iowa Workforce Development released the numbers Friday, revealing a rate drop to 2.5 percent in August. In July, Iowa was tied for second with North Dakota, but now stands alone in that spot. Gov. Kim Reynolds says that this is a great time to be an Iowan. “Companies are growing, the economy is strong and there are literally thousands of rewarding job opportunities available,” she says. However, she points out that there is currently one stumbling block. “But the biggest barrier to economic growth right now is a shortage of skilled workers,” Reynolds says. “Iowa is addressing that issue through the Future Ready Iowa Initiative.” The goal of Future Ready Iowa is to have 70 percent of Iowa’s workforce having education or training beyond high school by the year 2025. Eighteen Future Ready Iowa Summits have been scheduled and started last Friday in Muscatine. Today’s (Monday’s) summit is being held in Atlantic and another is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 3 in Denison, but is sold out, as are many of the others. Space is still available in the Centerville, Cedar Valley, Creston, Elkader, Fort Dodge, Des Moines, Ottumwa and Pella events and registration can be completed through the link included below.
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https://www.futurereadyiowa.gov/summit
