Mission: Employable

It never hurts to have a little extra help in your career pursuits. Jason Wiegand, Mentoring Program Manager at Volunteer Iowa, talks about a virtual mentorship program that is connecting Iowans across many career fields. Find out how the program is championing partnerships between industry professionals and future workforce talent, as well as one surprising fact about the average age of mentees in the program. 

Students at the University of Northern Iowa have great resources to help them enter workforce after graduation. Robert Frederick, Director of Career Services at UNI, shares how his team works with students to plan for their long-term goals, as well as how career education has changed over time.  

Building a well-rounded and successful team means hiring people with different backgrounds and experiences. Find out how Kathy Anderson, our new Deputy Director of Business Engagement, is using her wealth of experience to help lead the new division, and why she decided to return to state government.  

Interns can be a valuable part of your company and set a foundation for a future talent pipeline. Learn about creating an internship program from two representatives at St. Anthony Hospital in Carroll, IA, who share their experiences hiring youth from their community. Maybe you’ll be inspired to start an internship program yourself! 

Get a glimpse of our new Business Engagement Division as we continue our 100-day initiative to meet with employers statewide. Tim Goodwin, Business Engagement Division Administrator, walks us through the plans for the new division and how it will serve as a one-stop shop for employers. Find out how we can provide a tailored approach to help businesses with recruitment and retention.  

Apprenticeship programs are becoming more common in industries that may surprise you. Veterinarian Dr. Jennifer Mathis joins the show to talk about how she started her own veterinary technician registered apprenticeship program! Find out how she got the unique program off the ground and learn how, with some creativity, almost any industry can develop a registered apprenticeship. 

Iowans who speak English as a second language contribute to our workforce in a variety of career fields across the state. Bilingual Career Planners Diana Rivas and Luis Marquez join the show to talk about all the resources and tools available to Spanish-speaking Iowans. We also discuss how employers can use some of these services to include this population of potential employees in their search for talent.  

Helping Iowa businesses thrive is one of the biggest goals of Iowa Workforce Development. We’re continuing our tour around IWD’s new Business Engagement Division with Deputy Director Sherri Behrendt. Find out how the new division is working to engage business leaders across the state and make it easier than ever to hire top talent.  

Youth in Central Iowa will have a new avenue toward an education thanks to local musician and community activist Will Keeps. Learn how Keeps is combining the arts, education, and mentorship with at-risk youth to create opportunities that will set them on the path to success.

Businesses across Iowa can get all kinds of workforce help through our IowaWORKS offices. We’re highlighting these employer resources with Chris Kula, IowaWORKS Business Engagement Consultant, who shares how he and several of his colleagues work personally with business leaders to achieve their hiring goals. Listen in to find out how business engagement consultants can make a difference in your company today! 

Change is in the air! IowaWORKS is looking to strengthen our relationships with Iowa employers through a new statewide business engagement initiative. Iowa Workforce Development Director Beth Townsend talks with us about the first 100 days of the initiative and how business leaders can use IowaWORKS to build their workforce. 

Innovate 120, an entrepreneurship hub based out of Maquoketa, Iowa, is helping young Iowans find internship opportunities with Fortune 500 Companies around the United States. Innovate 120 President and Founder, Robert Abbott, talks to us about Iowa’s entrepreneurial spirit, and why other businesses should consider creating internship programs if they don’t already have them. 

Mission: Employable continues to examine how the healthcare industry is working to fill positions with an ever-growing need for employees.  Dennis Henderson, Broadlawns Teach and Tech Coordinator, talks about one of their programs, which aims to provide at-risk individuals with the skills they need for a successful career in healthcare.  Listen in to find out how they started the Teach and Tech program, and how it continues to evolve. 

Iowa College Aid offers resources that range beyond applying for scholarships and federal aid. Iowa College Aid Director Mark Wiederspan explains how they’re helping not only college students, but also trade students and individuals who join the military. Find out how Iowa College Aid can help you along your future career path no matter which one you choose. 

Iowa hospitals are finding innovative ways to fill open positions as the need for more staff continues to grow. We're highlighting a healthcare registered apprenticeship program with Natalie McNaught, Retention Specialist at Unity Point Health, who how it is working to fill the workforce gap of today, while building the healthcare workforce of tomorrow. 

 Older Iowans are ready, willing, and able to work. We’re joined by Kyra Hawley, Director of Employment Initiatives at the Department of Aging, to talk about how employers can find the right candidate with vast work experience. Listen in as we explain why if you aren’t considering hiring older Iowans, you’re missing out on a large pool of potential talent.  

School districts are being more creative than ever to get their students ready for their future careers. We’re joined by Dr. Erick Pruitt, Superintendent of the Ankeny School District, to talk about the new ways they are helping students plan ahead. Find out why Pruitt says one of the best things a school can do for students is to get them OUT of the classroom. 

The pandemic has changed how both workers and employers view the workforce, making it more competitive than ever when it comes to hiring talent. Project Iowa Program Manager Gabby Palacios visits the show to talk about the skilled workforce gap and how employers can make inroads with a larger group of potential employees.  

Central Iowa Shelter and Services wants to help you find your next employee. We’re joined by Melissa O’Neil, CEO of Central Iowa Shelter and Services who explains how they’re helping Iowa’s homeless population find good paying jobs, and how employers can find an incredible amount of untapped talent.

Council Bluffs is a key hub of business in the state, sharing its border with the Omaha metro. This creates unique business opportunities for Iowans working and living there. We talk with Drew Kamp, CEO of the Council Bluffs Area Chamber of Commerce, about everything going on in one of Iowa’s main industrial hubs and we give a little bit of love to THEIR podcast, "Chamber Chat".