The State of Iowa Recognizes the Demand for Skilled Labor and Forms - The Skilled Trades Alliance
On August 29th, 2016 Des Moines, Iowa Governor, Terry E. Branstad signed Executive Order 88 “The Future Ready Iowa”, after receiving a grant from the National Governors Association in 2014 up to an amount of $170,000. “The Future Ready Iowa” initiative is focused on developing strategies for closing the skills gap, providing educational and training resources together with the alignment with employer demand for Iowan high school students and adults.
As the demand for skilled labor in the construction industry is pushing critical levels, this newly signed Executive Order allowed for The Des Moines Public Schools and Central Campus to partner together and jointly develop The Skilled Trades Alliance, which is the first of its kind in Iowa. The Central Campus Skilled Trades Academy will offer a hands-on real world construction based curriculum to local high school students, ranging from homebuilding, painting/drywall, carpentry, electrical, concrete/masonry, plumbing, HVAC, welding and Building Information Modeling (BIM). This forward thinking initiative is to also provide a clear path for students to have internship opportunities, and eventually resulting in journeyman attainment.
The Skilled Trades Alliance Advisory and Steering Committees are made up of local skilled trades business, contractors and suppliers. We are proud to recognize one of our own AD Building Materials members Gary Scrutchfield, President of Lumbermans Drywall & Roofing Supply Company, as being a part of The Skilled Trades Alliance Steering Committee. Gary is very passionate about this program and is quoted as saying “If we do not support and promote our industry, who will?”
Funding for this program will initially be strictly by private donations for the first three years; a succession plan is being devised during this time. There is also a thought from the Steering Committee to petition the Iowa House of Representatives to request recurrent funding to continue this program as a construction industry jobs program; possibly creating a national model of how local businesses and education can succeed together.