Members of the Iowa Business Council have pledged to provide 30,000 individuals with internships, externships and apprenticeships by 2025.

Chairman Benjamin McLean, CEO of Ruan Transportation Management Systems, said the pledge is part of the organization’s work with state government to address workforce needs in Iowa. The Iowa Business Council will track the hires through quarterly reports to its members.

The council includes the key decision-makers of major Iowa employers, the presidents of the three state universities and the president/CEO of the state’s largest banking association. 

“Since the Iowa Business Council’s inception, we’ve worked collaboratively with elected officials and leaders to increase Iowa’s economic vitality,” McLean said in a statement. “It came as no surprise when our organization’s ‘Iowa Competitiveness Index’ identified workforce readiness and training as a critical need for our state.”

The effort is in cooperation with the Future Ready Iowa Alliance, part of a state goal of having 70 percent of Iowa’s workforce with education or training beyond high school by the year 2025.