New division puts  economic resources under one umbrella

Indian Hills Community College?s new Regional Economic Advancement division puts all of the campus? economic development tools under one umbrella.

Workforce development, regional entrepreneurial and leadership, advanced technologies and customized learning and training departments have been united under the direction of Regional Economic Advancement Executive Dean Tom Rubel.

?Indian Hills has always been a great partner for economic developers within its 10-county service area,? said Tracy Vance, executive director of the Fairfield Economic Development Association. ?What they?re trying to do is be a more effective partner by combining their resources ? the resources that they have for us under one division, so there?s a continuity.?

Some of the changes are as simple as relocating Small Business Development Director Bryan Ziegler?s office, which had been across campus from Iowa Workforce Development ? increasing opportunities for collaboration, Vance said.

Economic development directors throughout the region have been kept in the loop throughout the restructuring process.

?They?re just trying to be more effective,? Vance said. ?We as economic developers appreciate that because it makes our life easier. We know we can go to one place ? one resource at the college.?

The division right now consists of existing services, but eventually, Vance said, input is wanted from the 10 counties as to how the division can broaden its services and be a better resource. Fairfield, for example, may want to focus on its on strong entrepreneurial sector, Vance suggested.

Included in the Regional Economic Advancement division:

? IowaWORKS is a one-stop center housing Iowa Workforce Development, Workforce investment Act and Promise Jobs. It provides services to the unemployed and underemployed and assists local companies with filling job openings.

? The Small Business Development Center assists start-up and existing businesses with financing, developing a business plan, marketing, managing employees, analyzing costs and accounting.

? Regional Entrepreneurial/Leadership Institute offers seminars and training. The institute also has plans to work with each county on an ?Incubating Main Street? model.

? The advanced technologies department offers 30 career and technical programs.

? Customized learning can be developed to fulfill specific needs for a company?s workforce.