Perry will lose 1,200 jobs when Tyson closes. What types of other jobs does the town have?
With more than 1,200 people in Pery soon to be out of work by the end of June due to the closing of the Tyson Foods plant, can the job market in the Iowa town accommodate the demand?
How many jobs are available in Perry?
There are 23 standard job postings located in Perry, according to Iowa Workforce Development as of mid-March. There were also 10 hybrid and 165 remote opportunities on the IowaWORKS website, said Jesse Dougherty, a marketing and communications officer for IWD.
More: The Tyson plant in Perry, Iowa, is closing after 61 years. What we know about its plans.
Dallas County, where Perry is located, posted 1,103 jobs to IowaWORKS in February, ranging from standard to remote.
More jobs are open in some surrounding surrounding counties. The region's largest, Polk County, had more than 12,000 openings, Story County had 1,500 and Boone County had just over 200 job openings. This would require Perry residents to make roughly a 30-minute commute or more to employment in any of the three counties.
A majority of employees at the Tyson plant are in production. There were 6,373 job openings on IowaWORKS in manufacturing last month, Dougherty said.
Of those openings, 1,700 were in food-related positions while just more than 1,000 were in machinery-related positions. Iowa Workforce Development will consider transferable skills when aiding impacted workers to find employment.
There will also be a series of job fairs offered over the next few months for Tyson employees.
More: As Tyson Foods closes Perry plant, are other Iowa facilities headed to the chopping block?
How much did Tyson in Perry pay employees?
The plant advertised in 2022 wages starting at $18.40 an hour for general production workers with a sign-on bonus of $5,000. It also advertised an extra $1 an hour for good attendance and full benefits. That is slightly below Iowa's hourly average.
A billboard still outside the plant when the closure was announced advertised starting wages of $18.80 per hour.
What aid is the Iowa Workforce Division offering Perry?
The Iowa Workforce Development will establish a temporary IowaWORKS office in Perry to support the impacted workers, Dougherty said. The center will offer career planning services in several languages.
Iowa Workforce Development recommends avoiding applying for unemployment benefits too early because they are not available when employees still have the opportunity for full-time work. Once Tyson closes the Perry plant, the Iowa Workforce Division can assist with the unemployment process, Dougherty said.
More: Iowa Mobile Workforce Center comes to Perry to assist workers facing Tyson plant closure
"We will be on hand to assist employees with that step once they are no longer working for Tyson," Dougherty said. "The best route for these workers right now is to begin exploring options and to educate themselves about the career resources available to help them make as smooth a transition as possible into another job."
More: Grassley says Tyson decision to close pork plant a 'great big punch to the gut' for Perry
Current job openings in Perry, Iowa
Here is a sampling of the type of jobs currently advertised in Perry that require minimal experience and offer pay similar to that advertised by Tyson.
Custom applicator associate
This full-time position with Landus Cooperative in Perry applies crop protection products and aids in Landus' agronomy and grain operations.
Applicants must have or be able to obtain a commercial pesticide applicator license with 1A, 1B and 1C endorsements. The state of Iowa requires commercial applicators to complete an educational program and pass an exam with 80% or higher. Candidates must have the ability to obtain a CDL as well. Landus offers education assistance and training for the "right candidate," according to the Landus website.
Pay: $18.50 or more depending on experience plus benefits
More: Tyson plant closing announcement takes Perry by surprise, but city leaders vow to rebound
Middle school para
Perry Community School District is looking for a full-time paraeducator at the middle school. The job is full-time and requires a high school diploma or equivalent to be hired, according to IowaWORKS.
Pay: Depends on experience
Elementary special education paraeducator
Perry Elementary is also looking for special education teaching assistants. This full-time job requires a high school diploma or equivalent.
Pay: $16.80 minimum, depending on experience
Kate Kealey is a general assignment reporter for the Register. Reach her at kkealey@registermedia.com or follow her on Twitter at @Kkealey17.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Tyson is cutting 1,200 jobs in Perry. What other jobs exist in town?
