Central College President Mark Putnam has been appointed to the executive committee of the Future Ready Iowa Alliance. Co-chaired by Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds and Principal Financial Group Chairman, President and CEO Dan Houston, the alliance was created by Gov. Terry Branstad to develop a strategic plan for the education and training of Iowa’s workers.
The task force held its initial meeting Oct. 28 in Des Moines. Made up of a diverse mix of business, community, government and workforce leaders, elected officials and educators, the alliance will work to create a road map to meet the Future Ready Iowa goal that 70 percent of Iowa’s workforce will have education or training beyond high school by 2025. Research shows that by 2025, almost two out of three jobs in the nation are projected to require at least some postsecondary education or training.
Putnam serves on the 18-member Future Ready Iowa Alliance Executive Committee, which will provide guidance to the co-chairs. Putnam believes the alliance “will play a critical role in setting the workforce agenda for the future. Our capacity to attract and retain talent in our pipeline is essential in assuring Iowa’s economic future. Independent colleges like Central in particular are net importers of talent to the state, and collectively we award nearly half of the baccalaureate and graduate degrees in Iowa.”
The next meeting of the Future Ready Iowa Alliance will take place January 3, 2017, in Des Moines.