Job assistance opening at Mt. Pleasant Library

MT. PLEASANT — Are you looking for work? Or maybe you’re an employer looking for candidates? The Mississippi Valley Workforce Development Board IowaWorks program has just the answer to support you.

On Tuesdays, from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. the IowaWorks program will have an office open at the Mt. Pleasant Library located 307 E Monroe St.

“We are trying to reach all of those that are either seeking jobs or looking for employees. And we decided to open a temporary location at the library in an attempt to reach those that need our services,” said Miranda Swafford, executive director of the Mississippi Valley Workforce Development Board.

The Mississippi Valley Workforce Development Board is a workforce development board and a nonprofit organization overseeing the workforce services in eight counties: Jackson, Clinton, Scott, Muscatine, Henry, Louisa, Des Moines and Lee.

To those who live in Henry County, the nearest job services center is located in Burlington.

“The services that we will be providing at the Mt. Pleasant location, will be the same services that we offer at our Burlington location,” said Swafford. “This is important. Job seekers may not know that we have access to certain programs. We have programs that can help in searching for a job, and developing a resume.

“We can get them access to programs that would connect them to tuition assistance, or career planning goals. Or even get them enrolled in an ‘Earn and Learn’ program where they get work experience, like an on the job training opportunity. “

IowaWorks also assists businesses in posting jobs and finding employees for those positions.

“We can connect them with a candidate or some other programs that are available,” said Swafford. “All employers right now are having a lot of challenges finding candidates. Everyone is hiring, no matter what county they are in.”

Swafford said that the goal is to match job-seekers with employers seeking workers.

“We are trying to get to people that are finding it difficult to get to Burlington to use our services,” she said. “We are trying to get those job seekers that are looking for employment to those employers looking for candidates. It doesn’t matter what sector you are in, all businesses are having a challenging time finding people.”

Henry County has a 2.9% unemployment rate, Jefferson County is 3.1% and Washington County was 2.5% as of October 2021. Des Moines County has an unemployment rate of 6%, and Lee County has an unemployment rate of 5.7%, two of the highest rates within the state of Iowa.

The unemployment rate in the United States is at 4.2%. Iowa’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped to 3.9% in October, down from 4% in September, and 4.2% a year ago.