Catch up on this week's Corridor news.

This Week in the Corridor
Iowa workforce training earns top spot

The labor market may be tight, but Iowa's training programs are not to blame.
 
For the second year in a row, Site Selection Magazine has named Iowa as the  best state for workforce training and development in the West North Central region. Minnesota came in second, followed in order by Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Missouri and Kansas.
 
Iowa's unemployment rate is now the lowest in the nation. That's both a blessing and a curse. While it means climbing wages and plenty of opportunities for anyone willing to work, many businesses are struggling to find the talent they need to grow.
 
In response, Gov. Kim Reynolds and other state leaders have placed new emphasis on training and development programs. The Future Ready Iowa initiative has set a goal of ensuring 7 of 10 Iowa workers have education or training beyond high school by 2025. Stratetgies include apprenticeships, work-based learning and Science, Technology, Education and Math (STEM) education.
 
The Iowa Lakes Corridor included full funding for Future Ready Iowa among its policy priorities for the 2019 legislative session. Other workforce related positions include renewal of the workforce housing tax credit, exploration of incentives such as student loan forgiveness or income tax rebates to help keep recent graduates in the state, and overhaul of immigration rules to create new opportunities for skilled workers and immigrant entrepreneurs.
 
Site Selection is a trade publication focused on corporate real estate strategy and economic development. Site consultants surveyed by the magazine identified workforce availability as the #1 factor determining where corporations expand or locate new facilities.

 
Clay County chooses Beacon for online property database

Property data in Clay County has a new online home.
 
The county recently moved its property search and mapping portal to Beacon by Schneidercorp Geospatial, becoming the fourth county in the Corridor to do so. Residents and property owners can now complete applications for homestead, military, and business property tax credits online. The website also offers considerable information for anyone considering a property purchase.
 
Links to all four Corridor counties' online property searches are as follows:





News to Know
SLHS robotics team gears up for another season of competition

Robotics is back in season! Corridor Senior Vice President Brian Dalziel is an advisor for the Spirit Lake High School Robotics Team. This year's theme, Deep Space, is to test the durability of the robots being built.

Learn more about the team and the season to come.

Spencer and Storm Lake in top 20 safest Iowa cities

The National Council for Home Safety and Security released statistics ranking the safest cities in each state. Two cities from the Corridor region ranked in the top 20: Storm Lake at #13 and Spencer at #3. The study was performed by surveying the most recent FBI Uniform Crime Report statistics specifically looking at populations between 10,000 and 4 million.


Leadership Spencer registration now open

The Spencer Chamber of Commerce has opened registration for the 28th annual Leadership Spencer program. Leadership Spencer gives residents an opportunity to learn about 10 different topics that all come together to create the "Spencer experience". The 10-week program has 20 open spots that fill up quickly. This is a great opportunity for those new to the area to get to know Spencer and others in the area.

Read about registration details.

Investor Spotlight
Each week, we want to feature and thank the businesses and individuals that have committed to economic development and growth in our communities. To learn more about these investors and others, visit our Business Directory !
City of Milford
Sector:  Cities & Counties
Location: Milford
Description: Home of the mythical University of Okoboji, Milford lies on the southern end of the Iowa Great Lakes and is referred to as The Gateway to the Iowa Great Lakes. Milford is the place to be with numerous city parks, great community facilities, a high-standard school system and home of the Okoboji Pioneers.
City of Sioux Rapids
Sector: Cities & Counties
Location: Sioux Rapids
Description:  Sioux Rapids is hidden in the Iowa hills and is situated in the northernmost part of Buena Vista County. This community enjoys a wealth of outdoor opportunities: the Gabrielson County Park located just south of Sioux Rapids, Gustafson Lake for fishing, a sandy swimming beach, picnic areas and a playground for children and family activities.

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Jobs in the Iowa Lakes Corridor
vacancy_sign_desk.jpg
Post your jobs where quality candidates are already looking: lakescorridor.com

See these and other current job openings here.

Job Title Employer Date
Community & Business Relations Specialist Iowa Lakes Community College 1/23/2019

Questions? Want to be featured in next week's newsletter?
Contact the Iowa Lakes Corridor at info@lakescorridor.com, 
or call us at 712-264-3474. 
Iowa Lakes Corridor | 712-264-3474 | info@lakescorridor.com  |   www.lakescorridor.com
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