DES MOINES, IOWA (January 28, 2019) — Today the Iowa Business Council (IBC) released its annual, nonpartisan review of the state’s economic climate, known as the Iowa's Competitive Dashboard. The dashboard measures Iowa’s progress in five categories relative to other states. Iowa ranked in the middle of the pack for four of the five indicators — economic growth, education and workforce, governance, and health and wellness — while receiving a poor performance mark in the demographics and diversity category. In response to this poor ranking, the IBC announced plans to convene a group of thought leaders from the public and private sectors to conduct research and determine key policy initiatives to accelerate population growth and increase the state's diversity. "While IBC member organizations collectively invested nearly $37 million in education and workforce training during 2018, we still will not have enough people to fill all of the job openings in Iowa. A critical part of strengthening our workforce must be growing our state's population " said IBC Executive Director Georgia Van Gundy. "In order to do that, the Iowa Business Council will bring leaders from both the public and private sectors together to identify potential initiatives to attract and retain people to our great state." In addition to growing Iowa's population, IBC members emphasize the need to remove barriers preventing Iowans from entering the workforce or up-skilling. While Iowa's high school graduation rate and ACT scores are some of the highest in nation, the percentage of the population with education and training beyond high school, and of those obtaining a BA, continues to be outpaced by other states. These metrics indicate that the state is not keeping up with the talent demands of today nor properly preparing for the workforce needs of the future. To build Iowa's talent pipeline, the IBC supports continuing the implementation of the state's Future Ready Iowa initiative and funding the program's Last Dollar Scholarship and Employer Innovation Fund. The IBC will also continue to bring business and K-20 educational institutions together through its Business Education Alliance to develop scalable, sustainable solutions to strengthen the state's workforce. All the metrics included in the report can be measured consistently across all 50 states, providing an accurate depiction of how Iowa is competing nationally. Each indicator consists of five metrics that are averaged to determine Iowa’s overall performance in that category — competitive, average, or poor. These five metrics are then averaged to determine an overall ranking for each indicator which include: economic growth; workforce and education; governance; health and wellness; and demographics and diversity. The report also includes recommended actions that IBC members develop to help the state improve in each category. The dashboard, which has been released since 2011, serves as a guide and a tool to policymakers and both business and community leaders when determining policies and pursuing efforts to make Iowa more competitive. IBC members encourage leaders to join in implementing the report's recommendations or to develop their own action items based on this data. To view the full report visit https://www.iowabusinesscouncil.org/news/dashboard2019/.
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About the Iowa Business Council The Iowa Business Council (IBC) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization whose 23 members are the chief decision makers of major Iowa employers. One in six jobs in Iowa are tied to an IBC company. IBC member companies have invested billions of dollars of capital in Iowa's commercial infrastructure; lead the way in technology innovation, R&D, and grants procured; and are often the driving financial and volunteer forces behind philanthropic efforts all over the state. IBC member companies include: Alliant Energy; Casey’s General Stores, Inc.; Collins Aerospace; Corteva Agriscience; Deere & Company; Fareway; FBL Financial Group, Inc.; HNI Corporation; Hy-Vee, Inc.; Iowa Bankers Association; Kent Corporation; Mercy Health Network; Meredith Corporation; MidAmerican Energy Company; Pella Corporation; Principal; Ruan Transportation Management Systems; The Weitz Company; The University of Iowa Health Care; UnityPoint Health; Vermeer Corporation; Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Iowa; and Wells Enterprises, Inc.
