Hawkeye Reporter

Through upskilling and reskilling workers in the U.S., Gov. Kim Reynolds discussed COVID-19 recovery with President Donald Trump's American Workforce Advisory Board on June 26. 

At the meeting, Reynolds said Iowa workers are returning to their jobs and she believes skills-based hiring should be amplified in all states, according to a press release from her office. 

“Iowa is a proven blueprint for expanding opportunities through work based learning, registered apprenticeships and skill-based hiring,” Reynolds said in her press release. “So while COVID-19 forced all of us to reimagine how our workforce functions, there’s a path forward. Today’s conversations centered around cutting-edge job training, education and investing in digital infrastructure to ensure the American people are coming back to the workforce poised for even greater success than ever before.” 

Reynolds is using her own economic recovery board, led by Ruan CEO Ben McLean, to help recover Iowa from the coronavirus, which held its first meeting on June 25, according to the press release. The idea of her recovery board is to modernize the state's economy by focusing on the Iowa's economy, education, workforce, health care and quality of life. 

“Iowa’s success has always been about turning obstacles into opportunities,” Reynolds said in a press release from her office. “The Governor’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board assembles an impressive group of business leaders to propel our recovery efforts forward and position Iowa for growth. Iowans will be at the center of this effort as we continue to make our state the best place to live, work and raise a family."