Winter 2018/2019
Happenings at the Association of Iowa Workforce Partners
  • The 2019 AIWP Annual Conference is scheduled for Wednesday, March 27 - Friday, March 29, 2019 at the Stoney Creek Inn and Conference Center in Johnston, IA. Online registration is coming soon- information will be posted as it becomes available at https://www.iaworkforcepartners.org/professional-development.

  • AIWP is seeking presentations for the 2019 Annual Conference on the following topic areas. To submit a proposal to present, please complete the online survey: https://www.research.net/r/AIWP19present.
  • Youth
  • Persons with Disabilities Apprenticeships and Pre-Apprenticeships
  • Regional Workforce Boards Governance and Engagement
  • Customer-Focused Design and Approaches
  • Communication and Technology
  • Measurable Skills Gains
  • Layoff Aversion Strategies
  • Business Services
  • Career Pathways

  • The NEW AIWP website is active! Check it out to stay up-to-date with all AIWP happenings!
  • AIWP has joined the National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB). NAWB assists workforce professionals and Workforce Development Boards with leadership development, technical assistance, advocacy, and communications assistance. Check out more about NAWB and their membership services by visiting the NAWB website.

  • Join Ron Painter, NAWB President and CEO, as he talks with leaders in workforce development, education, business, and economic development about key workforce issues on Workforce Central, the official podcast of NAWB. Find the latest episodes of Workforce Central here!
Case Studies in Collaboration
SNAP Employment and Training- Filling The Gaps.  SNAP Employment and Training (SNAP E&T) helps SNAP participants gain skills, training, or work experience to increase their ability to obtain regular employment that leads to economic self-sufficiency. Two Iowa Community Colleges, Hawkeye Community College and Kirkwood Community College, have been highlighted by USDA for their work training SNAP participants for in-demand local careers. 

Iowa’s SNAP E&T program brings together community colleges, local business, and industry leaders to determine the workforce needs in their community and implement skills development and training in those in-demand sectors.  

Check out these videos from the USDA featuring  HCC and  KCC to learn more about their efforts and hear stories of individuals who have directly benefited from SNAP E&T programs. 
Translating WIOA
  • The 2018 Harkin Summit took place on November 15th-16thin Washington, DC.The Summit was titled Innovation for Inclusion: Doubling Disability Employment in a Changing Landscape. It brought together key stakeholders in the disability employment sector. Explore resources and takeaways from the Summit and catch up on the Keynote addresses by visiting the Harkin Summit Facebook Page.

  • Blue Collar Jobs in the Age of Automation: What does the future hold for the blue collar workforce as the manufacturing industry adjusts for increased automation? This article featured in the Los Angeles Times explores the skills training necessary to prepare our blue collar workforce for a changing world.  
Dear Bob,

What role does AIWP play in the goals of the Future Ready Iowa Alliance? 
Future Ready Iowa is an initiative aiming to bolster Iowa’s talent pipeline, empower a workforce with 21 st century skills, and establish a network of qualified individuals to meet the needs of Iowa’s most in-demand careers. 

AIWP is uniquely situated to align with Future Ready Iowa in achieving these goals. Expanding high-quality work-based learning experience in high-demand fields and careers for all students emerged as one of the most pressing priorities according to the Future Ready Iowa Alliance.

AIWP has been on the front lines of innovative and collaborative approaches to work-based learning. A good resource for workforce partners is the Iowa Statewide Work-Based Learning Intermediary Network. This network is comprised of 15 regional intermediary networks that connect business and education by offering relevant, work-based learning activities to students and educators in their respective regions. Each regional intermediary provides a one-stop contact point for both educators and employers to access information and contacts for internships, job shadowing experiences, classroom speakers, and student tours. Regional intermediary contact information can be found on the Department of Education’s website. 

Do you have a work-based learning success story? Share your story  here —we will use it to demonstrate to policy makers, stakeholders, community partners, etc. the value that work-based learning programs bring to their community!
Upcoming Events
  • AIWP Legislative Breakfast; January 29, 2019 starting at 8:00 AM in the Legislative Dining Room at the Iowa State Capitol building (ground floor near the rotunda).

  • National Skills Coalition 2019 Skills Summit; February 5 - 7, 2019 in Washington, D.C. Learn more about the Summit here.

  • 17thAnnual AIWP Conference; March 27 - 29, 2019 at Stoney Creek Inn in Johnston, IA. 
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