CUTTING-EDGE CAREERS
The annual state average wage across all jobs in this industry was $95,537 in 2024.
What is a manufacturing?
Well-known for pizza (especially the breakfast vaiety) this Iowa company relies on careers in transportation, distribution, service and maintenance to ensure customers receive the services they expect.
What is Casey's?
https://www.caseys.com/careers/service-and-maintenance-positions
There are more than 3,000 of these in Iowa, employing 216,000 people in the state.
What are manufacturers or manufacturing companies?
All community colleges in Iowa have programs, certificates, and training for manufacturing careers. This is the number of community college regions in the state.
Name 3 durable skills important to employers (also known as soft skills or employability skills).
What are communication, teamwork, leadership, active listening, critical thinking, punctuality, etc.?
https://americasucceeds.org/durable-by-design-why-skills-for-the-future-start-now
This state agency is often referred to as "IWD." Their website, IowaWorks.com, lists information such as the number of job openings and the current unemployment rate for the state of Iowa in addition to manufacturing career opportunities.
What is Iowa Workforce Development?
The areas of study in the acronym STEM are all important concepts for manufacturing careers. What areas does STEM represent?
What is Science, Technology, Engineering and Math?
MidAmerican energy is headquartered in Des Moines, and meets the energy needs of more than 1.6 million customers in Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska and South Dakota. These are the two types of sustainable energy in their portfolio.
What are wind energy and solar energy?
https://www.midamericanenergy.com/wind-energy https://www.midamericanenergy.com/solar-energy
This is a federally or state approved "earn-while-you-learn" training program that combines paid, on-the-job training with in-person or online learning. You must complete at least 2,000 hours on work time to successfully earn this nationally-recognized credential. Many these opportunities in Iowa are available for manufacturing careers, and you may hear them referred to as "RA".
What is Registered Apprenticeship?
July 14 is the national day for this invention, which was first patented as a spring-style device in 1829. Originally costing $17 ($300 today!) the ability to accurately use this essential measurement device is critical in many facets of manufacturing.
What is a tape measure?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQ0_301xzLg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dx4Bg97Y_bI
If you are a food scientist at this manufacturing facility located in Northwest Iowa, you could be designing new flavor combinations for a favorite frozen sweet treat!
What is Wells Blue Bunny?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8Gpa67i-f4 https://wellsenterprisesinc.com/careers
This business has a large presence of manufacturing facilities across the U.S., but especially in the midwest with two plants in Iowa. Located in Knoxville and Ames, this manufacturer’s well-known products include Post-it® Notes, Scotch® Tape, and Command™ adhesive strips.
What is 3M?
Twenty-nine of the largest 100 production companies in this industry have manufacturing operations in Iowa. These companies include Barilla, Hormel, Kraft Heinz, Nestle, Quaker Oats, Tyson, and Wells Enterprises.
The simple definition for this field of study is the practical application of science and mathematics to solve real-world problems, build, and create. Iowa manufacturers hire two-and-four-year graduates with this major. Students entering this field typically excel at math, and many choose Iowa State University for their education. A few specialty areas include electrical, mechanical, industrial, civil, and bio.
What is engineering?
https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/college-search/state/iowa/major/engineering
Programs, certificates, and training programs focused on preparing students for careers in manufacturing and construction include this skill because employers expect workers to be able to interpret technical drawings.
In this college major (community college, college, or university) you are preparing for careers such as accounting, human resources, management, finance and many other careers essential to manufacturing businesses.
Rada Cutlery, home of the World's Greatest Tomato Knife and a host of other kitchen items, boasts being made in the USA. The company started in 1948, continues to be family-owned, and is located in this Iowa town that is also home to a private college with a mascot of "The Knights."
What is Waverly?
This is the top manufacturing export country for Iowa, with $5.1 billion in total export revenue for the state. In addition to Iowa manufacturing exports, this country is really into ice hockey!
What is Canada?
Consider courses in high school, at career academies, and through community colleges that offer the option of taking an assessment to achieve this, often referred to as an "IRC." Passing the assessment helps employers know you have skills they need and could result in higher starting wages. When you achieve this, be sure to include it on your resume and on job applications!
What is an industry recognized credential?
This is the full name for the automated manufacturing process where computers control machine tools (like mills, lathes, routers) to cut, shape, and finish materials with extreme precision, following pre-programmed instructions from digital designs, commonly known as CNC.
What is Computer Numerical Control?
https://workforce.iowa.gov/labor-market-information/career-exploration/data (Use this resource to explore manufacturing careers in Iowa, including CNC!)
Two businesses in Iowa tie for employing the most people at 8,000 each. One is a manufacturing company that started in 1933 as a radio company in Cedar Rapids, now employing more than 80,000 worldwide and over 20,000 in engineering.
What is Collins Aerospace?
The 2024 & 2025 Coolest Things Made in Iowa are manufactured for this industry. (Hint - our state is also the highest producer of pork, eggs, and corn in this industry.)
What is agriculture?
2024 -Vermeer ZR5-1200 Self‑Propelled Baler
2025 - CP770 Cotton Picker
https://www.iowafarmbureau.com/Farm-Facts
John Deere https://www.coolestthingia.com/
A smart manufacturing job seeker In Iowa considers more than just the pay. This term is used when the offer includes health insurance, retirement contributions, paid time off, overtime opportunities, and employer-paid training — and often adds thousands of dollars to a job’s value beyond pay.
What is the total benefit package or total compensation package.
https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/news/benefits-101--demystifying-your-benefits-package--
If you are taking courses in agriculture, automotive, welding, manufacturing, healthcare, information technology, culinary, business, or marketing (just to name a few) these are considered "CTE". This is the full name for these courses, which teach skills that can help prepare you for careers in manufacturing.
What is Career and Technical Education?
To experience a variety of manufacturing careers and employers, this one-day work-based learning activity would be a great first-step into exploring opportunities. A a school counselor, work-based learning coordinator, iJAG Specialist, or CTE teacher could help me get this set up.