Eastern Iowa: One Stronger Region

July 1, 2026 - September 30, 2026



We're excited to share updates, success stories, and upcoming opportunities that support our region’s growth and connect jobseekers, employers, and community partners. Whether you're a business, educator, or community leader, there's something here for you!

IowaWORKS and Goodwill are partnering to offer free Google AI courses that teach practical, real-world skills you can apply right away.

Google AI Essentials

Google Prompting Essentials

Accelerate Your Job Search with AI

Google AI Professional Certificate



Visit the landing page and start learning!

A special thank you to Kent Worldwide, the presenting sponsor for the Eastern IA/Western IL Advanced Manufacturing Sector Board's Manufacturing Month Kickoff Celebration and Career Fair! Your generous support helped bring together industry leaders, employers, and jobseekers to celebrate manufacturing and strengthen connections across our regional workforce.

We're proud to share the final Mississippi Valley Workforce Development Area WIOA Annual Report. This report highlights last year's accomplishments, partnerships, and workforce services, which supported jobseekers and employers across the Mississippi Valley region.

Stay connected between Eastern Iowa Workforce Board's quarterly newsletters! Each of our four IowaWORKS offices offers its own newsletter featuring local workforce updates, upcoming events, employer resources, partnership opportunities, and more.

Whether you're an employer, workforce partner, community organization, or simply interested in what's happening in your area, there's something for you!

Choose the communities you want to hear from:

Davenport - Email Brandi Haight, Business Engagement Consultant

Burlington - Email Brandi Haight, Business Engagement Consultant

Marshalltown - Email Michelle Roseburrough, Business Engagement Consultant

Ottumwa - Email Brenda Noe, Business Engagement Consultant

As part of our ongoing commitment to supporting local businesses, we invite you to participate in IowaWORKS' semiannual Business Satisfaction Survey. Your feedback is essential in helping us understand your needs, improve our services, and strengthen our partnerships.

The survey takes just a few minutes to complete and will provide valuable insights into how we can better serve you. Please submit your response by October 29, 2026.

We appreciate your time and input. Thank you for helping us build a stronger business environment in our region.

If you have any questions or would like to share additional feedback, please don't hesitate to reach out to your local Business Engagement Consultant.

Davenport - Brandi Haight, Business Engagement Consultant

Burlington - Brandi Haight, Business Engagement Consultant

Marshalltown - Michelle Roseburrough, Business Engagement Consultant

Ottumwa - Brenda Noe, Business Engagement Consultant

Every fresh start looks different.

After 17 years away from the workforce, Jeremy came to IowaWORKS unsure how his experience while incarcerated would translate to employment. With career guidance, job search support, and connections to SNAP Employment & Training, he gained confidence, overcame barriers, and landed a job.

Jeremy described IowaWORKS as a “lifesaver” and shared that earning his first paycheck gave him pride and a renewed sense of purpose.

View Jeremy's full success story on our Facebook page!

Workforce development is about more than finding a job—it’s about having the right support to succeed.

After returning to his community, Trevor connected with IowaWORKS for job search support, employer connections, and help overcoming the practical barriers to starting work.

Today, Trevor is working as a painter and building his next chapter.

View Trevo's full success story on our Facebook page!

After months of searching for the right opportunity, one local job seeker connected with IowaWORKS for support. Career Planner Adam helped connect him with an opportunity in Ottumwa and was there to help with onboarding paperwork and unemployment questions along the way.

In July, he started his new job as a Golf Course Maintenance Worker, earning $17/hour! Most importantly, he was excited to be working again and moving forward.

View his full success story on our Facebook page!

July 8th and 15th - Marshalltown, Dewitt, and Davenport, IA

The Eastern Iowa Workforce Board participated in employer listening sessions facilitated by Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) senior leaders and local Business Engagement Consultants. Discussions focused on workforce challenges, hiring needs, work-based learning opportunities, AI adoption, and strategies to strengthen the regional workforce. These conversations provide valuable insight into employer priorities and help guide workforce development efforts across our region and the entire State of Iowa.

July 29th - Davenport, IA

Eastern Iowa Workforce Board had the privilege of welcoming representatives from the U.S. Department of Labor to visit our region, learn from our local partners, and engage in meaningful conversations about the future of our workforce. Together, we explored innovative approaches to Registered Apprenticeships and the partnerships that will shape tomorrow's talent pipeline.

We're incredibly grateful to our outstanding hosts throughout the day:

📍 IowaWORKS Eastern Iowa for highlighting the services and resources available to employers and job seekers across our region.

🏫 North Scott Community School District for showcasing how students are building career-ready skills at the Regional Innovation Center.

🏭 Oertel Metal Works for opening their doors and sharing firsthand how workforce partnerships and apprenticeships make a difference.

🎓 Eastern Iowa Community College for demonstrating the critical role education plays in preparing the workforce of the future.

August 5th - Chariton, IA

IowaWORKS in partnership with Lucas County Economic Development held a hiring event on-site at Hy-Vee Chariton Distribution Center on August 5th. Candidates were encouraged to apply on-line at the mobile unit and interviews were conducted on-site for qualified candidates.  

August 12th - Davenport, IA

The Eastern Iowa Success Fair, now in its 10th year, welcomed more than 260 jobseekers to Northpark Mall in Davenport to connect with more than 80 employers from across the region!

September 2nd - Moline, IL

Following the unexpected closure of the Tyson Foods plant in Joslin, Illinois, on August 13, workforce and community partners from both the Iowa and the Illinois sides of the Quad Cities quickly mobilized to support more than 2,500 displaced workers.

In less than three weeks, the team organized a multilingual worker information event and large-scale job fair at Vibrant Arena in Moline on September 2nd.

The event brought together more than 125 employers and resource organizations and welcomed more than 1,000 attendees.

September 23rd and 29th - Marshalltown, IA and Ottumwa, IA

The Ottumwa and Marhsalltown IowaWORKS locations celebrated Workforce Development Month with Open Houses showcasing the wide range of workforce services available to jobseekers, employers, and our local communities.