One common complaint from recruiters, HR professionals, and skilled trades organizations, is Iowa’s talent shortage. But are we ignoring a massive hidden talent pool in our own backyard? Joseph Johnson, CEO of Change Course talks about a specific group of people who can fill roles including felons and those transitioning off government assistance.
Johnson says there’s a lot of fear hiring certain groups—most of it completely unfounded. He explains why his unconventional talent pool actually exceeds expectations and defies expectations. As an ex-con himself, he also shares where companies go wrong hiring ex-cons, and what lessons he learned to get their success rate to 100%.
Across the country, millions of qualified job seekers remain sidelined by automated screening tools and rigid hiring algorithms. Johnson, is on a mission to connect local business owners with this overlooked labor pool, which includes individuals reentering society after incarceration, addiction recovery, or welfare dependency. “They’re really talented people, many of them are very talented people, but they’re not getting opportunity typically because of an employment barrier like incarceration or like addiction recovery or like just a bad work history,” Johnson explained.
In Polk County alone, between 1,200 and 1,400 individuals exit the county jail each month. Without sustainable employment options, many face severe economic pressures that risk sending them back into justice involvement. Johnson emphasizes that these candidates offer fresh, adaptive perspectives and a high degree of workplace dedication if given a fair chance.
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Rigorous Training Yields Proven Retention
To prepare participants, Change Course administers a comprehensive five-month program focused on career skills, personal development, strict accountability, and regular drug testing. The demand for this intervention is significant; a recent cohort drew 100 applicants for just 35 available spots. Replicating a Denver-based framework that has grown from four to 17 models nationwide, Change Course drives extraordinary employment outcomes.
“100% of them end up with a job,” Johnson stated, adding that 85% remain employed at the one-year mark and 80% after two years.
By urging employers to look beyond past mistakes, Johnson believes local businesses can simultaneously solve their talent shortages and transform their communities.”You don’t just throw money at it,” Johnson noted. “You come alongside them, you put your arms around them, you create a community, a safe place they can go, and then you develop them out and make them do the work.”