Sheldon, Iowa — Top officials with some leading northwest Iowa manufacturers joined community college and economic development leaders Thursday afternoon to announce a unique new partnership designed to address a critical workforce development challenge facing area employers. The announcement was held in the Manufacturing Lab at NCC in Sheldon.
The Northwest Iowa Regional Partnership includes eleven manufacturing companies from throughout the northwest Iowa region, along with Northwest Iowa Community College and Northwest Iowa Development as supporting partners. The Partnership has created an organizational structure and a focused action plan with the support of NCC and NWID, with the primary goal to help grow the regional manufacturing sector.
Don Van Den Top is Director of Human Resources at Link Manufacturing in Sioux Center, as well as one of the organizers of the new Partnership. He says there are tremendous career opportunities available with area manufacturers, and he says for the companies to grow, they need to fill the workforce pipeline. Van Den Top spoke during Thursday’s event, and told those assembled that the initial action plan has three components.
Kristi Heisinger has been hired as a Facilitator and Career Coach for the Partnership, and she told those assembled that this partnership is truly unique.
Heisinger introduced the Partnership’s new website during the Thursday announcement, and told the group that social media marketing will begin soon.
She says the next goal for the Partnership is relationship building.
Van Den Top and Heisinger both said they are looking to add more manufacturing partners in 2019.
Following the announcement, NCC Instructor Willis Radtke demonstrated one of the machines NCC manufacturing students work with.
For more information, you can contact Kristi Heisinger at 712-631-5652, or visit the Northwest Iowa Manufacturer Partnership website by CLICKING HERE.
Here are a few photos from Thursday’s Announcement………………………
Career Coach Kristi Heisinger Addresses The Crowd
Don Van Den Top
NCC’s Willis Radtke Demonstrates How A CNC Lathe Can Make A Chess Piece
The Finished Product
