Jefferson Matters is partnering with Iowa Workforce Development and Iowa Economic Development Authority to complete a Laborshed employment study for the Jefferson area. This study will geographically define which communities contribute to Jefferson’s workforce, regardless of political boundaries. This defined area is called a Laborshed area and is based upon commuting patterns.
The purpose of the Laborshed study is to measure the availability and characteristics of Jefferson area workers. Laborshed studies are useful tools for economic development teams and existing or prospective employers to understand the local labor market, make informed expansion and site selection decisions, and maintain/recruit a high-quality workforce.
The Laborshed boundary is based on the place of residence of individuals commuting into the Jefferson area for employment. For the success of this study, employers in Jefferson will be asked to provide Jefferson Matters with aggregate counts of their employees’ residential ZIP codes. This reporting will give Jefferson Matters an understanding of where each community’s workforce resides.
Every year Iowa Workforce Development conducts Laborshed studies across the state. The results of each analysis are publicly available online at workforce.iowa.gov/laborshed. Persons who have questions about the Laborshed project can contact Sam Queen at samuel.queen@iwd.iowa.gov or 515-281-8179. Jefferson Matters director Matt Wetrich thanks employers for their support and participation.
