The Workplace Learning Network (WLN), a member of the Iowa Intermediary Network, housed at Southwestern Community College provides work-based learning activities to Region 14 School Districts through appropriated Iowa Legislative funds. As a requirement of the grant funding, a yearly Business Needs Assessment is sent to business and industry professionals within Region 14, covering school districts: Bedford; Central Decatur; Clarke; Creston; Diagonal; East Union; Lamoni; Lenox; Mormon Trail; Mount Ayr; Murray; Nodaway Valley; Orient-Macksburg; Red Oak; Southwest Valley; and Stanton.
The assessment was open for completion from May 30 – August 30, 2020. It was distributed to 789 professionals. It was completed by 29 professionals.
Below is a summary of the results based on the percentages of respondents relevant to K-12:
Career pathway that the business of respondent fits under?
13.8% Business Management & Administration
13.8% Human Services
10.3% Manufacturing
10.3% Health Science
10.3% Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources
Highest level of education obtained (respondent):
44.8% Bachelor’s degree
24.1% Master’s degree
13.8% Some college coursework completed
Your employer would be classified as:
44.8% Medium sized business (11-99 employees)
31% Small sized business (1-10 employees)
24.1% Large sized business (100+ employees)
Basic Skills: What basic skills are applicants lacking? (Respondents checked all that applied.)
81.5% Written Communication
51.9% Reading for Information
25.9% Applied Mathematics
22.2% Locating Information
3.7% Verbal Communication
3.7% Reliability
3.7% Work Ethic
3.7% Basic Math Skills
Hard Skills: What are the occupational hard skills lacking in applicants? (Respondents checked all that applied.)
84.6% Critical/Analytical Thinking Skills
57.7% Business Communication
38.5% Project Management
15.4% General Office Software
11.5% Machine Operation
11.5% Basic Computer Literacy
3.8% Specific Computer Software
3.8% Work Ethic
Growing the Workforce: Today's high school students graduate prepared to join the workforce.
34.5% Strongly Disagree
24.1% Disagree
27.6% Neutral
13.8% Agree
0% Strongly Agree
For the complete survey results, please contact Workplace Learning Network Coordinator Ann Schlapia,