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Shaping the Future: Talent Development Efforts in Full Swing

Talent Development Efforts

May 25, 2024

One of our strategic priorities this year is talent development. There is not one county in our 11-county footprint who hasn’t raised this as a major issue. A key approach to achieving that priority is through the growth of internship and leadership programs, emphasizing the importance of local talent.

The Partnership will host three initiatives focused on those objectives: The DSM Workforce Collaborative, DSM Intern Connection and The Legacy Project: Career Ready Collective.

Let's dive into how these efforts will propel the mission of broadening talent development throughout the region.

DSM Workforce Collaborative

The DSM Workforce Collaborative focuses on furthering and advancing regional workforce needs. This regional group focuses on strengthening the current and future workforce with a collective voice by identifying workforce opportunities and implementing solutions to help meet business and education needs in Greater Des Moines (DSM).

The Collaborative is dedicated to three key goals which are:

  • Forging stronger ties between education and industry to foster innovation and best practice exchange.
  • Ensuring alignment across industry and educational programming from kindergarten through post-secondary education.
  • And deepening understanding of the region's present and future skill demands, while creating pathways for talent to refine these skills.

The Collaborative is made up of business, human resources, education and state leaders who began to convene in late 2023 to build and drive strategic talent retention strategies for the region.

DSM Intern Connection

The DSM Intern Connection program is an intern professional development series. The series features opportunities for college-aged interns to connect with community leaders and executives, as well as opportunities to network with fellow students while learning about what makes DSM unique and a place to consider for their post-graduate career.

All college-aged interns working in DSM are invited to attend all six free events. Students who complete three of the four events receive a Community Leadership Certificate and are invited to attend an exclusive Executive Luncheon event.

We hosted 315 students through this program in 2023, and 74% of them said they are likely to accept a job with their internship employer in DSM. This shows the power of this program in talent attraction and retention.

Encourage your summer interns to register now at DSMpartnership.com/internconnection.

The Legacy Project: Career Ready Collective

The Partnership is working alongside partners on The Legacy Project: Career Ready Collective, a community-driven, career development program to prepare youth for the future of work. The Career Ready Collective is funded by the Principal® Charity Classic with support from Sammons Financial. The primary objective of the Career Ready Collective is to introduce youth to a variety of professional skills that will increase their knowledge and confidence. Registrants will be inspired by nationally recognized keynote speakers, develop their professional skills and network with interns and business professionals from across the region. Similar to the DSM Intern Connection, we believe this program will help connect youth to our community and employers in a way that will make them more likely to stay here as adults.

The Partnership has announced the curriculum for the program that will run for six weeks. You can learn more about the program curriculum and registration requirements at DSMpartnership.com/legacyproject.

I’m proud of how we are not only laying the groundwork for a strong workforce but also embracing a culture of innovation and collaboration. As we move forward, let us foster these opportunities to shape a healthier future where talent thrives, businesses flourish and our community shines brightly on the national stage.

The Greater Des Moines Partnership Board is made up of Greater Des Moines (DSM) leaders and industry experts. The Board is united in driving economic growth with one voice, one mission and as one region.

David Stark

David Stark is Chief of Government Affairs & Philanthropy at UnityPoint Health and 2024 Greater Des Moines Partnership Board Chair.

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