Laborshed Employment Study

Laborshed employment study to be conducted in the Iowa Lakes Corridor Region

The Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation (Corridor) is partnering with Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) and Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) to complete a Laborshed employment study for the Corridor region. The study gathers information for the major employment center in each county across the state. This study will geographically define which communities contribute to the workforce in Estherville, Spencer, Spirit Lake and Storm Lake, regardless of political boundaries. This defined area is called a Laborshed area and is based upon commuting patterns.

The purpose of this Laborshed study is to measure the availability and characteristics of Corridor region workers. Laborshed studies are useful tools for existing or prospective employers and local economic development organizations to understand the local labor market and wages, make informed expansion and site selection decisions, and maintain/recruit a high-quality workforce.

IWD will soon send letters to employers in each of the major county employment centers asking that they provide aggregate counts of their employees’ residential ZIP codes. This will allow IWD to determine the scope and scale of each town’s Laborshed area and better understand where the workforce resides.

Once that Laborshed area is determined, a confidential residential telephone survey will be conducted to collect workforce characteristics specific to the area.  The survey call originates out of Cedar Rapids, IA, therefore, the incoming number will have the 319 area code. It is possible that you may receive a text message from an 888 number as well, alerting you to expect a call to take the survey. Survey questions will cover topics such as employment status, current and desired wages, current and desired benefits, education level, and type of occupation. IWD will not ask survey takers to provide identifying information such as name, social security number, or date of birth.

The Corridor board of directors asks you to assist this important effort to gather valuable workforce information. Thank you for your support and participation.

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ABOUT IOWA WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT LABORSHED EMPLOYMENT STUDIES

Every year Iowa Workforce Development conducts Laborshed studies across the State. The results of each analysis are publicly available online at www.iowalmi.gov/laborshed.  If you have any questions about the Laborshed project, please contact Katie Lippold at 515-281-3035 or Kiley Miller with the Corridor at 712-264-3474.

ABOUT THE IOWA LAKES CORRIDOR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

The Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation is the regional economic development agency for Buena Vista, Clay, Dickinson and Emmet counties. Its mission is to foster, encourage, aid, promote or otherwise assist in the economic growth and development of the region. For more information about the Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation, call 712-264-3474 or visit www.lakescorridor.com.