The Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce reported that 68 percent of all jobs in Iowa will need postsecondary education and training past high school by 2025, a statistic that is three percentage points higher than the projected national average. The current Future Ready Iowa initiative addresses this forecast and seeks to build Iowa’s talent pipeline. The objective is for 70 percent of the state’s workforce to be educated or trained past the high school level by 2025. Beginning in Fiscal Year 2014, the Iowa Department of Education allocated $1.45 million annually to the statewide Work-based Learning Intermediary Network (Intermediary Network) to work toward that goal. Specifically, the Intermediary Network will better align career interests of secondary and postsecondary students with the necessary postsecondary experiences for that career.
This funding is equally split between the state’s 15 community colleges, with each having its own Intermediary Network devoted to the needs of that region. While the Intermediary Network is housed in the community college system, it also serves all secondary students in each college’s corresponding school district. All networks offer core services to students such as: setting up job shadow experiences; helping procure student internships and teacher or student tours. A 25 percent local match of resources is required along with this grant, and can be comprised of private donations, in-kind donations or public funding.
The program’s purpose is to “prepare students for the workforce by connecting business and the education system and offering relevant, work-based learning to students and teachers.” The Intermediary Networks drive this goal, acting as the coordinating entity and single point of contact for regional work-based learning opportunities.The Intermediary Network builds industry relationships and provides guidance to students in how to best align interests with relevant educational and career experiences.
Policy in Action
All Intermediary Networks are part of the CTE planning partnership in their corresponding region. There are regular coordination efforts between groups, and the current strategic plans of all 15 CTE regional partnerships include promotion of work-based learning.
Work-based learning opportunities are offered for each of the 16 Career Clusters ®, though networks must especially target resources to in-demand industries. Typically a needs assessment is carried out by each intermediary network along with a representative from the corresponding school district. This ensures that relevant opportunities are offered in each region across Career Clusters ®.
In Fiscal Year 2020, Iowa continued to see success as measured by increased involvement of students in work based learning opportunities, as well as efficient use of funding that in turn will allow for greater student participation in the coming year. During this Fiscal Year, the Iowa Intermediary Network engaged 4,436 unique business partners in serving19,784 learners who participated in intermediary core services – foundational work-based learning career exploration opportunities. This includes 13,483 learner workplace tours, 5,611 job shadows, and 690 internships.
Related Links
- Report: Leveraging Intermediaries to Expand Work-based Learning
- Report: Iowa: Education and Workforce Trends Through 2025
- Report: Work-based Learning Intermediary Network: Fiscal Year 2020 Report
- Report: Work-based Learning Intermediary Network: Fiscal Year 2019 Report
- Report: Work-based Learning Intermediary Network: Fiscal Year 2018 Report
- Report: Work-based Learning Intermediary Network: Fiscal Year 2017 Report
- Resources: Work-based Learning materials
Last Updated: June 2021
