CEDAR FALLS/WATERLOO, IA – The Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber is partnering with Iowa Workforce Development and Iowa Economic Development Authority to complete a Laborshed employment study for the Cedar Falls/Waterloo area. This study is being conducted because talent availability is a main concern for Cedar Valley and Iowa businesses. The study will geographically define which communities contribute to Cedar Falls/Waterloo’s workforce. This defined area is called a Laborshed area and is based upon commuting patterns. The results from this support the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber’s talent development efforts.

For the success of this study, Iowa Workforce Development will be sending letters to employers in Cedar Falls/Waterloo starting Monday, October 22, asking that they provide them with aggregate counts of their employees’ residential ZIP codes. This will allow them to determine what the scope and scale of Cedar Falls/Waterloo’s Laborshed area is and better understand where Cedar Falls/Waterloo’s workforce resides.

Once that Laborshed area is determined, a confidential residential telephone survey will be conducted to collect workforce characteristic information specific to the area.  The survey call originates out of eastern IA, therefore, the incoming number will have the 319 area code. It is possible that you may receive a text message from their 888 number as well, alerting you to expect a call from them 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 among other things. However, Iowa Workforce Development will not be asking survey takers identifiable information such as: name, social security number, or date of birth.

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, Iowa Workforce Development Project Manager, at 515-281-3035 or Cassie Grimsman, Alliance & Chamber Director of Talent Development, at cgrimsman@cedarvalleyalliance.com.

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