OTTUMWA — The latest brainstorming session between schools and businesses is investigating whether technologically advanced college courses are right for high schoolers. The inspiration is a shortage of skilled employees in the workforce.

“I can’t go to a manufacturer and ask them to expand [or move here] if the labor force isn’t going to be there,” said Jon Krebs, executive director of the Ottumwa Economic Development Corporation. “The consortium wants to make sure that labor force is there.”

The Southeast Iowa Manufacturers Consortium encourages conversations between experts from three entities: manufacturing companies, schools and economic development groups.

Ottumwa school Superintendent Jon Sheldahl has been following the subject: He said the gap is especially prevalent in high-tech fields and workers trained in advanced manufacturing techniques.

“There is one major topic throughout the state of Iowa: How education is preparing students for the workforce,” said Tom Rubel, dean of advanced technology at Indian Hills Community College.

He said making sure kids have a good future and employers have good employees will require “outside-the-box” thinking.

Sheldahl told the Ottumwa school board recently one idea is to allow motivated high school students to study robotics, lasers or telecommunications at Indian Hills Community College.

This “early college high school” plan would allow students to work toward associates degree in a high-tech field while still in high school.

“[We’d be] moving kids into a career pathway a lot sooner,” said Sheldahl. “It helps students and families, but can also help employers.”

That’s because manufacturers hungry for skilled workers would be that much closer to having another employee in southeast Iowa.

“It’s just an idea, a concept at this point, but we think it’s a good one,” said Sheldahl. “This is still in the investigative phase.”

Rubel agreed.

“We’re having some productive conversations about how Indian Hills Community College can work collaboratively with [all] the school districts of southeast Iowa,” he said, “so the young people are aware we can in some cases prepare them for job opportunities that are going to be crucial in the next few years.”

Even if they would not have been able to afford college courses, the school district would work to find funding for their enrollment, at least while they were still in high school, Sheldahl said.

That would put the student up to a year ahead of the game when high school graduation rolled around, financially and academically.