Sheldon, Iowa (Sioux County Radio) — Northwest Iowa Community College is highlighting the impact of Iowa’s 260E New Jobs Training Program while encouraging continued support for the workforce development initiative.
The program allows employers to partner with their local community college to train newly hired workers as companies expand and add jobs.
NCC President Dr. John Hartog says the process begins when businesses develop long-term hiring plans and work with the college to prepare training programs for those future employees.
Through the program, community colleges work with multiple employers to package hiring and training plans into projects that can be funded through bonds issued for workforce training.
Hartog says the funding structure is designed so the training program supports itself.
The bonds are repaid using a portion of payroll taxes generated by the new jobs created through the program.
According to Northwest Iowa Community College, the program has had a measurable impact across the region. They report that 33 active employer partnerships and 1,068 new jobs were created through the program across Sioux, Lyon, O’Brien, Osceola and Cherokee counties.
Hartog says the program plays an important role in helping businesses grow while strengthening the workforce in rural communities.
He says the program also helps create long-term opportunities for workers in the state.
Hartog says workforce development programs like 260E remain especially important in rural regions where community colleges often work closely with local employers to meet workforce needs.
KIWA Staff Photo
