Workforce & Talent Resources
Workforce Recruitment & Talent Pipeline
Connect with programs that help build your future workforce.
Bridging Education & Business in Southwest Iowa
Career EdVantage connects local students with high-demand career pathways through individualized coaching, professional development, financial literacy, and hands-on work experiences. By equipping young people with the tools to navigate their futures with confidence, the program empowers students to achieve long-term personal and professional success. Career EdVantage is committed to workforce and economic development, bridging the gap between education and industry by generating a pipeline of skilled, motivated talent that meets the evolving needs of local employers.
Learn More → www.careeredvantage.org/
A Head Start on the Future: Diploma Plus One (+1) Pathways
The Council Bluffs Community School District is making postsecondary education and career readiness inescapable for students through its innovative Diploma +1 Pathways initiative. The goal is simple yet powerful: ensure every student graduates not just with a high school diploma, but with a valuable secondary credential that jumps-starts their future.
Learn More → www.cb-schools.org/departments/teaching-learning/plus-one-pathways
Unlocking Potential: Every Student. No Matter What.
Iowa Jobs for America’s Graduates (iJAG) partners directly with local schools to deliver impactful career development programming. By blending leadership training, career education, and individualized guidance with direct employer engagement, iJAG ensures our next generation is future-ready with sustainable plans for both career and life.
Learn More → www.ijag.org/
Fueling the Future: Iowa Western’s Work-Based Learning Program
Iowa Western Community College (IWCC) bridges the gap between the classroom and the local economy through its dynamic Work-Based Learning program. By connecting high school students and educators directly to local business professionals, IWCC provides relevant, hands-on experiences that help the next generation align their immediate career goals with smart post-secondary decisions.
Learn More → www.iwcc.edu/business/wbl/
Forging a New Career Path: Becoming an Apprentice in Iowa
Registered Apprenticeships offer a direct, high-value pathway to a rewarding career, allowing participants to start working and earning from day one. By blending paid on-the-job training with structured classroom instruction, these programs minimize educational debt while delivering a nationally recognized credential that jumpstarts long-term career growth.
Learn More → https://workforce.iowa.gov/apprenticeship/apprentice
For All of Your Veteran Resources... Start Here!
Home Base Iowa and IowaWORKS connect Veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses with premier career opportunities and support services across the state. By pairing Iowa's largest online job bank with personalized, one-on-one guidance, these programs make it easier than ever to translate military experience into a thriving civilian career.
Learn More → https://workforce.iowa.gov/opportunities/home-base-iowa/careers-veterans-and-families
Whether you are launching, expanding, or consolidating your business, Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) offers the comprehensive tools and data Iowa employers need to succeed at every stage of the business cycle.
From one-on-one professional consultations to localized labor market data, IWD uncovers the answers and pathways your business needs to thrive. Their expert teams provide a single point of access for posting job openings, utilizing targeted screening tools, claiming federal and state tax credits for new hires, and so much more.
Ready to connect with a Business Engagement Consultant and build your workforce?
Learn More → https://workforce.iowa.gov/employers/iwd-business
Employee Training & Upskilling
Develop and retain the workforce you already have.
Boost Retention & Upskill: Skills for Success Program
Designed exclusively for businesses located in Pottawattamie County, the Skills for Success pilot project offers direct financial assistance to help you retain and empower your local workforce. Funded by the Iowa West Foundation and facilitated through Iowa Western, this "Earn as You Learn" initiative allows employers to claim up to $10,000 for standard employee training, or up to $14,000 for Department of Labor/Iowa Workforce Development registered apprenticeships. To participate in this pilot, businesses must have a clear plan to increase the wages of participating employees within one quarter of training completion.
Ready to build employee loyalty and lift your bottom line?
Learn More → www.iwcc.edu/business/skills-for-success/
Expand Your Workforce: Iowa Western Funding & Job Training
If your company is new to Southwest Iowa or expanding its footprint in manufacturing, processing, warehousing, wholesaling, or research and development, you may qualify for state-backed training funds at no cost to your business. The Iowa Industrial New Jobs Training Program (260E) uses certificate-based bond funding to help cover the costs of onboarding and upskilling your growing team. Iowa Western Community College will work hand-in-hand with your leadership to build and execute a customized training curriculum modeled exactly around your new operational goals.
Ready to scale your workforce risk-free?
Learn More → https://www.iwcc.edu/business/economic-development/
Stay Competitive: 260F Iowa Jobs Training Program
Investing in your current team is the fastest way to maximize productivity and maintain your competitive edge. Through the state’s 260F program, Iowa Western Community College can help your business secure up to $50,000 in forgivable loan funding to cover advanced development for existing employees. To qualify, your company must provide at least a 40% cash match toward the training costs, and the loan is entirely forgiven once the program is successfully completed. Iowa Western handles the heavy lifting by designing your custom training blueprint and applying to the state on your behalf.
Ready to upskill your existing team and claim your funding?
Learn More → https://www.iwcc.edu/business/economic-development/
Inspire Your Workforce: Buena Vista University Strategic Partnerships
Attract and retain top talent by strengthening your company’s benefits package at absolutely no cost to your business. Through a Strategic Partnership with Buena Vista University (BVU), employers can offer their workers, as well as their eligible family members, a direct pathway to affordable higher education through exclusive tuition discounts on undergraduate and an organizational leadership graduate program. It is a powerful, no cost tool to support your team’s lifelong learning, close skills gaps, and foster long-term loyalty within your organization.
Ready to invest in your team’s future without affecting your bottom line?
Learn More → www.bvu.edu/strategic-partnerships
Small Business Support
Resources to support business growth, expansion, and investment.
Build and Grow Your Business: Iowa Western SBDC
Whether you are launching a brand-new startup or looking for expert guidance to manage and scale an existing business, the Iowa Western Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is here to help. SBDC provides confidential, no-cost, one-on-one business advice and professional resources tailored to your specific goals. From navigating startup checklists and business planning to mastering marketing, improving financial health, and securing financing, their team offers the vital technical assistance small businesses need to thrive. The Iowa Western center proudly serves entrepreneurs across seven Southwest Iowa counties, including Pottawattamie, Mills, Fremont, Page, Cass, Shelby, and Harrison.
Ready to take your business to the next level with free, expert counseling?
Learn More & Connect with the IWCC SBDC → www.iowawesternsbdc.com/
Fueling Innovation: Advance Southwest Iowa Corporation & LAUNCH
Small businesses and entrepreneurs are the cornerstone of our region's economic growth. Through the LAUNCH initiative, Advance Southwest Iowa Corporation (ASWIC) connects future innovators and existing businesses, regardless of size or industry, with the critical tools, local incentives, and collaborative networks needed to successfully launch and scale.
Learn More → https://advancesouthwestiowa.com