Gov. Branstad Announces Plan to Increase Skilled Labor in Iowa

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds have announced an initiative to increase skilled labor in Iowa, but it’s unclear how much the plan would cost or how it would be funded.

Branstad and Reynolds said Monday the Future Ready Iowa plan aims to increase the number of Iowans with two-year and four-year degrees, as well as apprenticeships and other certifications.

Branstad and Reynolds sourced a research center at Georgetown University that says by 2025, 68 percent of jobs in Iowa will require education and training beyond high school. The new initiative seeks to have 70 percent of Iowans with that extra education and training by 2025.

Details about how much the initiative would cost were not released. Branstad says the state has programs already working toward the goal.