Their report, which the governor and I have read carefully, is thoughtful and well-researched. On behalf of all Iowans, we want to express our appreciation to the Iowa Business Council for taking the initiative to study the issues and publishing this report full of valuable suggestions for building a strong workforce. The report uncovered several truths that startled me, and probably startled you as well. Yet the skill level requirements of these jobs may equal or exceed those required for entering college. For many students, there is an unproductive 10-year gap between high school graduation and the average age that people enter apprenticeship or training programs.
Job turnover is rampant in Iowa.
Almost 30 percent of Iowa employees quit in a given year. Some of these statistics aren't pleasant. They don't fit with our image of what we'd like Iowa to be. These new realities must become general knowledge around the state if we are to tackle workforce problems in the most effective way. We can't design new programs or change educational offerings if we aren't tailoring our solutions to fit today's and tomorrow's realities.