In times of economic hardship, a job surplus seems contradictory. However, a New York Times article reported that unlike many other states across the country, Iowa has a surplus of jobs. In a survey conducted by the Iowa Workforce Development (IWD), it was found that there were 48,000 job vacancies in industries including financial services, health care and skilled manufacturing. This situation means a shortage of workers, with Greater Des Moines expecting a shortfall of 60,000 workers during the next decade.

The IWD expects the job surplus to reach 198,000 by 2014. This will mirror national trends, with experts projecting a shortage of 14 million skilled workers by 2020. The IWD is predicting the greatest surplus in skilled job openings, especially in professional positions, due to the increasing number of Baby Boomers who are retiring and leaving the workplace.