
IT boot camps, business education & entrepreneurship training
IT boot camps: Hands-on, intensive training programs in software and IT tools to meet business needs
- New skill development and skill refresh for existing workforce
- Partnerships with companies to meet their workforce needs
Business education: Seminars in technology, innovation and business strategy
- Assisting companies to compete in a global marketplace
Entrepreneurship training: Training and technical support for new products and applications
- Targeting new venture formation by entrepreneurs
- Creating new products/services by existing companies
Engaging the university:
Fostering innovative collaborations across Iowa
R&D collaborations: Onsite/on-campus partnerships to develop innovative products and services for the marketplace
- Example: Company technical staff working with engagement center team and University of Iowa faculty to analyze data and identify solutions for manufactured part failures and design improvements
Student engagement: Connecting students to Iowa companies for experiential learning and internships
- Example: UI faculty/student team working with an entrepreneur to develop a strategic marketing plan for launching their new software application in the market
Engagement centers:
A key addition to the statewide economic development ecosystem

Annual outcomes: accountability matters
At a minimum, each regional engagement center will
- Assist 25 local companies
- Offer 2 IT boot camps for workforce training and skills refresh
- Deliver 2 entrepreneurial training programs
- Engage 25 student interns with local companies
- Establish 3 University of Iowa faculty engagements with local businesses and communities
We will assess the performance of the program annually
- Consulting with community and business leaders
- Working with state and regional economic development groups
- Reporting to the Regents
To compete, Iowans must work together
Public universities, community colleges and businesses must form engaged partnerships to foster economic growth and job creation
- Collaborate with businesses to solve real world problems
- Defining success by business and economic value
- Leverage public-private partnerships to drive innovation
- Translating new insights and ideas into practice
- Educate and train Iowans to fill the workforce gap
- Meeting current and future needs
- Enhance student internship and employment opportunities
- Exposing students to Iowa opportunities
- Retain talent in Iowa
- Aiding Iowa businesses and communities
Together, we can grow the Iowa economy
- Businesses across Iowa have asked the University for IT and entrepreneurship assistance
- Students working at Iowa businesses while in school are more likely to seek employment or start companies in Iowa after graduation
- The University of Iowa is committed to providing its unique talent, training & technology to help Iowa businesses innovate, grow and compete in the global economy
- A statewide network of Engagement Centers would serve as a public good to grow the Iowa economy through public-private partnerships
- We are asking for your support to enable The University of Iowa to play an active, hands-on role in serving the small business community, the state and the citizens of Iowa