Kirkwood’s Benton County Leadership Council discusses local workforce, educational triumphs and challenges

Training the next generation to succeed in the workplace is half the battle, if you ask any Iowa community. The other half is convincing them to stay – and Kirkwood Community College has its sights on bolstering rural communities' future workforce. Leaders representing different sectors of Benton County – including business, education, faith, finance and more – gathered Oct. 14 at Kirkwood’s Benton County Center, 111 W. 3rd St. in Vinton, to discuss the county’s future of higher education and workforce development. The meeting, the third in a series of rural leadership councils hosted by Kirkwood this fall, is part of the college’s broader effort to engage local leaders and gather insights on how it can better address the education, training, and workforce needs of the rural communities it serves, as well as an opportunity to assess how its resources are being leveraged.

“One of the things I wanted to do when I got back to Eastern Iowa was introduce myself to the communities and get reacquainted with all the communities in our southern counties, and these leadership councils were one of the tools for that,” said Kirkwood Community College President Kristie Fisher, reflecting on the goals from her first year as president. “We know we can’t address every community need, but we also know (that) if we don't know what's happening in the communities, there's no way we can help with those needs,” she said, at Monday’s meeting. “I can tell you, (in) every county that conversation has been different.” Currently, Kirkwood programming for Benton County includes College Credit in High School (CCHS), Workplace Learning Connection (WLC), High School Completion, Continuing Education, and Testing, which includes advising and HISET testing, which has replaced the GED. The Benton County Center also crosses county lines to partner with Iowa and Linn Counties, broadening the number of students served. Kasey Keeling, director of the Kirkwood Benton County Center, reported that more than 450 students from the area are currently enrolled in concurrent courses, allowing them to earn college credit while still attending high school. This participation rate surpasses the state average, she said, with approximately 33.5% of local high school students involved, compared to the statewide average of 30 to 31 percent.

“In Benton County, we are really doing an amazing job with growth and opportunities,” she said. “A lot of these opportunities can be taken within the walls of (students’) high school.” She went on to report that within the last three years, 1,388 students from Benton County have taken a Kirkwood college credit, and 2,637 have taken advantage of Kirkwood’s non-credit opportunities. Non-credit awards include certifications and industry recognized credentials in EMT, CNA, OSHA and American Welding Society. “Another thing we do is CNA training here,” said Ms. Keeling. “That is a huge need for our community, so we're working with our Continuing Education division on how we can offer more programming related to CNA.” Plans are in the works for a shared auto offering for the 2025-2026 school year, with the Center partnering with Thys Automotive Family in Blairstown and Belle Plaine to provide automotive training for interested students. “We’re always looking for more ideas with these opportunities,” said Ms. Keeling.

Workplace Learning

Looking ahead is Kirkwood’s Workplace Learning Connection, which prepares students for life beyond the classroom with mock interviews, career fairs, worksite exploratory events and financial literacy fairs.

Laura Miner, the Center’s Work-Based Learning coordinator, reported that 70% of students who participated in job shadows and internships said their experience influenced their decision to potentially stay in Iowa following graduation, and 90% said it increased their awareness of local opportunities. “I think a lot of times, students think they have to go to Cedar Rapids or Iowa City when you leave the area,” she said. “Ninety percent of these students realize that they have a viable future career in their communities.”

Local leaders give input

Benton County leaders voiced several key concerns regarding educational opportunities and the future of the local workforce within the county and surrounding areas. Kyle Koeppen, superintendent of the Vinton-Shellsburg Community School District, expressed concern surrounding the lower participation rate of youth in Benton County due to geographic challenges. “We are kind of in the regional desert, and so the number of kids participating in Benton County is tremendously lower than some of our neighboring friends because of geographic hardships,” he said, suggesting an increased focus on the logistics of overcoming barriers and obstacles within the area.

Another attendee suggested that the college add “soft skills” to its workplace learning division, noting a need for students to gain both practical skills and interpersonal abilities to succeed in the workforce. “An employer is going to look a lot more at (graduates’) people skills than they're going to look at their intelligence, because you can teach them things, but can you teach them how to get along with the public? And I think that's big,” said one attendee. Noted at the meeting was the generational transitions local businesses are facing in rural areas, and the opportunity to mentor young people from outside the district to take over these businesses and keep the local economy running. “We're going to have a generational shift fairly quickly in businesses,” said one attendee. “Right now, most of your businesses are probably family owned.” Reflecting broader and state trends, the district is also experiencing difficulty in hiring educators and health care professionals. “We’re at a point of emergency,” agreed Ms. Fisher, noting that while there is a high interest in nursing, it’s a difficult program and some students find it isn’t a good fit. “We really try to open the world to students, so if something doesn't work, it doesn't mean there's not a skilled pathway,” she added. Kirkwood Community College plans to host its next rural leadership council meeting this spring, with the expectation of hosting two per year. This past fall it focused on Jones, Iowa, and Benton counties.