Business Services
Employers' Council of Iowa (ECI) 
Iowa Workforce Development
is looking for employers to work in partnership together to meet workforce
needs. ECI's mission is to support the efforts of local employer
committees to advise Iowa Workforce Development, legislators, and other
officials concerning its products, services and policies that affect
employers: as well as provide opportunities for employers to exchange
information and develop education programs for employers.
Meetings often include training sessions that are planned months in
advanced, and include guest speakers and seminars of interest to local
employers and human resource professionals. Regular meeting topics
address labor market information, unemployment insurance from the
employers' point of view and independent contractor misclassification.
For more information, visit the
Employers' Council
of Iowa web-site.
If you are interested in participating, contact Elizabeth at the Creston Iowa Workforce
Development at 641-782-2119 ext 41 or by email at
Elizabeth.Waigand@iwd.iowa.gov.
Keep up to date with our newsletters. Let us know if you would like the
newsletters sent to you each month by emailing
Elizabeth.Waigand@iwd.iowa.gov.
April 2013 Newsletter
March 2013 Newsletter
February 2013
Newsletter
January 2013
Newsletter
December 2012
Newsletter
November 2012
Newsletter
October 2012
Newsletter
September 2012
Newsletter
August
2012 Newsletter
July 2012
Newsletter
June 2012
Newsletter
May 2012 Newsletter
April 2012
Newsletter
National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC)The National Career Readiness
Certificate (NCRC) is a national, portable, foundation works skills
certification designed and maintained by ACT, Inc. Iowa has adopted
this credentialing system, creating an opportunity for individuals to
obtain an applied skills certificate through several community
colleges and Iowa Workforce Centers.
The certificate was created to give employers a clear, standardized tool
to assess the skill level of potential employees assuring job applicants
actually have the basic work skills they seek. Not only will it
assist employers in recruiting new employees, it can also aid in
discovering training needs, and/or to promote incumbent workers based on a
series of three assessments that make up the NCRC. The three
assessments are Reading for Information, Locating Information and Applied
Mathematics. These three foundation skills are critical in over 90
percent of all occupations. this credential is noted as an
essential component in transitioning workers from declining to emerging
occupations.
This credential is noted as an
essential component in transitioning workers from declining to emerging
occupations. ACT has profiled over 16,000 different occupations and
determined the level of the three foundational skill for each occupation
that share the same identification number as outlined in the O*Net
(Occupational Information Network) Database. The levels associated
with the completed certificates and occupations are Level 3-Bronze, Level
4-Silver, Level 5-gold and Level 6-Platinum.
Individuals wanting more
information on Iowa's National Career Readiness Certificate, and
information on how to get one, please call our Skills Development Team at
641-782-2119 ext. 512.
Employers interested in learning
more information call 641-782-2119 and ask to speak to our Recruitment and
Placement team.
Required Posters - The new 9 -1 required labor
posting with the updated minimum wage information is available.
Call today or stop in to get yours.
These posters are available at no cost to the employers
from IWD. (The Adobe Acrobat Reader is
required to view and print this file and can be
downloaded at no charge.)
Recruiting - IWD staff seeks to match job seekers against the
employment needs of prospective employers, and to make appropriate
referrals. No fees are charged. Jobs listed with IWD are posted on several Internet sites:
IowaJobs,
Iowa Workforce Development's Skill Center and
America’s Career
InfoNet.
The Employer’s Resource Library - A variety
of human resource management books are
available on loan at your Creston Iowa Workforce Development Center.
Books are available on loan for four weeks at no fee.
Outreach - Region 14 has a regional Business Services
Representative to provide area employers assistance with recruitment
needs, coordination of large-scale recruitment such as career and
employment fair, which is held by Southwestern Community College, and
marketing of IWD products and services.
Testing Services - Planning on hiring a new secretary who must be
able to type 65 words per minute? IWD staff can administer – at no charge
to the employer or job seeker – proficiency tests for typing, 10 key and
spelling.
Reverse Referrals - This service directs all interested job seekers
to apply for openings at the IWD offices, freeing the employer’s time for
other tasks.
Tax Credits - The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) and Welfare to
Work-Tax-Credit (WtWTC) offers employers federal income tax credit if they
hire persons from certain qualified groups, such as persons with
disabilities or persons with low incomes.
Unemployment
Insurance Tax Forms & Publications.
A number of commonly required or requested forms are available online.
Labor Market Information - Current
Labor Market Information
is available on various economic trends and occupations, including data on
prevailing wage rates and projected job outlooks.
Conference Rooms Available - Want to interview or test prospective applicants away
from your office? IWD offers meeting rooms and a separate office to employers for job
interviews (when available, reservations recommended) and Resource Center space for employers to
display and distribute job information.
Work Permits - IWD staff authorizes
Work Permits and Certificates of Age
for young people seeking to enter the job market.
Business Closings/Downsizing - Should your business experience a
closing or restructuring, IWD staff and its partners are ready to help
employees make the transition to other employment. Laid-off workers are
provided access to services, including financial support and training.
Unemployment Insurance Tax Forms and Publications - A number of
commonly required or requested forms are available
on-line.
Veterans Services—The
Veterans Career Consultant can assist you with all levels of
staffing needs through the use of a statewide database. The consultant can also
provide information concerning employment rules and regulations pertaining
to veterans.