How do you go from serving your country to running your own business?  Our guests from Home Base Iowa, ISU Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship and the North Central Iowa Small Business Development Center (SBDC) share how Veterans and their family members can navigate the new mission of running a business. Find out how Iowa supports Veterans looking to start their own business as well as one avenue to business ownership that you might not have considered. 

Child care is one of the top needs for working parents and it can be difficult to find. In this episode, our guests from Child Care Resource and Referral of Southeast Iowa highlight resources that can help solve two key areas of Iowa’s child care needs: helping parents find affordable child care, and recruiting the next generation of child care specialists.  

Business leaders in Iowa are using work-based learning projects to recruit and train the next generation of talent from local schools. Iowa Association of Business and Industry Program Director Jessi McQuerrey explains how working with your educational partners can bring Iowa’s best and brightest to your doorstep. 

We’re back with DMACC on today’s episode of Mission: Employable. Rob Denson, President of Des Moines Area Community College, shares his unique journey into post-secondary education. Hear the advice he gives to upcoming college students, and how programs like the Last-Dollar Scholarship can provide educational opportunities to those who might not otherwise have the chance. 

Principal, the 5th largest employer in Iowa, is rethinking their hiring practices in a competitive labor market. Jon Couture, Principal Senior Chief Human Resource officer, shares how they are challenging common application requirements to find the right talent for their company.

Community partnerships can help schools introduce students to career pathways even before graduation. Jacque Goodman, Iowa Valley Community School District Vice Chancellor of Education and Training, explains how the school district is working with business partners like Alliant Energy to recruit high school students for a career in the energy sector. 

Learning is not a one-size-fits all process for students. Educator Dr. Cynthia Knight joins the show to talk about how school districts can use innovative education models and boost graduation rates. Find out why Knight believes project-based learning is the way of the future and what it means for the growth of Iowa’s workforce. 

911 Dispatchers have a crucial role in making sure people get connected to first responders in the community. Rhonda Braudis, 911 Communications Director for Marshall County, talks about her journey into the career field and how she started a training program to recruit the next generation of dispatchers. Braudis shares how state grants helped her start the training program, offering advice on seeking funding opportunities.