Thursday, September 20, 2007
Governor Culver Announces Iowa Will Participate In NGA Policy Academy In Industry Clusters
Policy Academy will Help Iowa Prepare for Jobs Surplus
(Des Moines) Today, Governor Chet Culver announced that the National Governors Association (NGA) has selected the State of Iowa to participate in its Center for Best Practices Policy Academy.
“During my inaugural address, I laid out a goal to build upon our recent economic successes to create new opportunities for all Iowans,” said Culver. “In five years Iowa could face a 150,000 jobs surplus, a situation that exists as both a challenge and an opportunity for our state. Promoting industry clusters is the best way to capitalize on our state’s strengths, fully take advantage of the jobs surplus and expand Iowa’s economy far into the future.”
A team selected by Governor Culver will attend the Center for Best Practices Policy Academy called “State Strategies for Promoting Innovative Clusters and Regional Economies.” The Academy is a year-long program beginning immediately and lasting until next summer. Iowa leaders will work with national experts to improve their understanding of cluster strategies and innovation-based economic development, and develop action plans that apply this understanding to our state.
An “industry cluster” is defined as a concentration of industries and businesses that gain economic advantages from being near each other.
Officials from the Governor’s Office, the Iowa Department of Economic Development, Iowa Workforce Development, the Iowa Department of Education, the Iowa Community Colleges and the Regents Universities will participate in the Academy, which will begin in September 2007 and continue through June 2008.
Iowa is one of seven states chosen to participate in the Academy.
“The Policy Academy offers a chance to bring together our state’s decision makers and influencers to develop a cohesive industry cluster strategy,” said Culver. “Iowa will create a state-government ‘cluster’ to cut through government bureaucracy and move our economy forward.”
For more information, visit http://www.nga.org/.