May 29, 2026
By: Chris Costa
Building Tomorrow’s Workforce Starts Today
As a business leader, I know that investing in people is one of the most important things an organization can do to ensure long-term success. The same is true for our community. By investing in talent development, we can position the region’s workforce and workplaces for a stronger future.
As we enter the summer months, the Greater Des Moines Partnership has several programs that are helping young people prepare for their future in the region. Each of these initiatives reflects a broader regional commitment to creating opportunities for people to grow personally and professionally in Greater Des Moines.
The Legacy Project: Career Ready Collective Returns
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Starting at the high school level, The Legacy Project: Career Ready Collective is back and helping more students than ever this year. The Career Ready Collective is funded by the Principal® Charity Classic’s Legacy Project, with support from Sammons Financial Group. It helps connect students with hands-on career exploration and skill-building experiences aligned with regional workforce needs.
The program is expanding to five satellite locations in addition to Greater Des Moines in 2026, including its first out-of-state location in St. Paul, Minnesota. Cedar Rapids and Pella return as satellite locations while Newton and Perry join as new Iowa locations.
This expansion allows the Career Ready Collective to support more students in 2026 with nearly 400 across two states. It’s also a testament to the curriculum built by The Partnership’s team with support from the Robert D. and Billie Ray Center at Drake University. The program has been called “life-changing” by participating students and credited by parents for helping get their high school-aged children thinking about careers.
DSM Intern Connection Welcomes Interns to Greater Des Moines in 2026
College students in Greater Des Moines for the summer have the opportunity to participate in the DSM Intern Connection. Interns can connect with community leaders, build relationships with peers and discover Greater Des Moines as a place to build their lives and careers after college.
![DSM Intern Connection event]()
A total of 517 students participated in 2025, and we are looking to grow that number even more this year. The kickoff event is Tuesday, June 2, and events take place every two weeks culminating in an invite-only luncheon on Tuesday, July 28. Participants must attend at least three core sessions to qualify.
We encourage you to register your interns for this series. Last year, nearly 90% of participants surveyed said they would accept a job in Greater Des Moines if offered, so we know we are seeing success in getting participants to consider living in our region.
This summer, we will also celebrate the graduates of the latest DSM Fellowship Program cohort. This professional development program is for top-tier early career professionals who demonstrate emerging leadership qualities. The current cohort began in April of 2025 and will graduate in June.
These programs collectively help a wide range of people at various stages in the talent pipeline from high school to emerging leaders, making young, talented individuals more likely to stay in the Greater Des Moines region.
Keep up with the momentum that's happening in and around Greater Des Moines (DSM) when you subscribe to one or all of the Greater Des Moines Partnership's newsletters — they're packed with the latest news, highlighting everything from upcoming events to development projects to policy updates. Join the mailing list to connect with The Partnership and help amplify stories from around the region.