September Summary
  • The state's workforce index (WFI) fell for September as the number of Iowa online job openings sank by 10.2 percent offsetting a decline in the number of unemployed.
  • Iowa's WFI for September was the fourth best in the nation.
  • Transportation jobs, distribution positions and general business openings recorded the largest percentage gains in online openings from August to September.
  • Healthcare positions outside of nursing, nursing jobs, and retail openings suffered the largest percentage losses from August to September.
  • In absolute numbers, the greatest numbers of online job openings were in healthcare, other than nursing, followed by management, and then sales.
  • As a percent of Iowa employment, the largest numbers of online openings were in finance, followed by engineering, and then insurance.

Iowa WFI.  AIM's September workforce Index (WFI) decreased to 80.4 from August's revised 90.6. Online job openings fell by 10.2 percent and more than offset a 2,200 decrease in the number of unemployed.  The WFI is a statistically based measurement tool produced by AIM, a nonprofit organization in Des Moines, Iowa. The index is a ratio of unique online job postings and the number of unemployed in Iowa (not seasonally adjusted). The WFI ranges between 0 and 100. A WFI below 50.0 indicates short-term job contraction while an Index above 50.0 indicates job expansion.
Fading and improving areas. The areas showing the greatest percentage improvements in online job openings from August to September were:  Transportation positions, distribution jobs, and general business positions.  The areas recording the largest percentage declines from August to September were: healthcare outside of nursing, nursing positions, and retail openings.

For more information on Iowa's Work Force Index and other state rankings, visit: http://aimforbrilliance.org/workforce-index/iowa.

About the AIM WorkForce Index
AIM and the Creighton University College of Business produce the AIM WorkForce Index each month to track the relationship between the WFI and the changes in the U.S. Gross Domestic Product. This type of information is of value to both the employer and the job applicant as they develop plans and strategies for participation in the local and regional labor market. For more information on previous WFI reports, please visit http://aimforbrilliance.org/workforce-index,http://business.creighton.edu/economicoutlook, or dol.nebraska.gov.

About AIM
AIM is a not-for-profit community organization that promotes technology to empower people, enhance organizations, and create brilliant communities. AIM's signature services include : Careerlink - the region's leading career development website, Infotec - the Midwest's premier business and IT conference, and Hatchfund - a crowdfunding source for artists. For more information about our services - training, youth programs, research and more - visit www.aimforbrilliance.org.

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