"COME BACK TO YOUR FUTURE, COME HOME TO DUBUQUE"

"COME BACK TO YOUR FUTURE, COME HOME TO DUBUQUE." With a more diversified economy and businesses growing, Dubuque civic and business leaders in 1997 hope to convince former residents to return to the city for employment. A new recruitment tool was unveiled to the public on December 17, 1997 featured an Internet job site and marketing campaign. (1)

"Come Back to Your Future, Come Home to Dubuque" was the result of a coordinated effort of the GREATER DUBUQUE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, Northeast Iowa Community College, Iowa Workforce Development, Telegraph Herald, Woodward InterNet Services, Tri-State Human Resources Association, and the City of Dubuque. The program was funded by joint contributions of $25,000 each from NICC and Iowa Workforce Development, and private donations. (2)

As of the day of the announcement, 62 companies had access to the site allowing them to list job descriptions. The marketing program would begin with a direct mailing to 38,000 people gathered from alumni rolls of local colleges and high schools. College magazines were also to be used in advertising the program. Visitors to the site who did not see job positions could complete an inquiry sheet listing categories of jobs for which they would like to be considered. (3)

On June 5, 1998 a feature on the Dubuque program was aired on CNN causing a flurry of phone calls from people interested in more information. Since the website was unveiled through June 5th, there had been 723,257 "hits" with an average of 244 daily users. (4)

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Source:

1. Bergsrom, Kathy. "Calling All Bill Baileys: Come Home to a Job," Telegraph Herald, December 18, 1997, p.. 1. Online: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=aEyKTaVlRPYC&dat=19971218&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

2. Ibid.

3. Ibid.

4. Gwiasda, Susan B. "CNN Report on Dubuque Sparks Flurry of Inquiries," Telegraph Herald, June 6, 1998, p. 3A. Online: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=aEyKTaVlRPYC&dat=19980606&printsec=frontpage&hl=en