DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An education task force says Iowa’s system for offering skilled labor training can be improved with more focused coursework offerings and additional collaboration. The Secondary Career and Technical Education Task Force says in a report released Monday that all Iowa students should be offered coursework on career and technical education beginning in the seventh grade. More specialized coursework then becomes available.

Career and technical education prepares Iowans for vocational work that requires more than a high school diploma. Iowa officials say the state is facing a skills gap in some industries. Jeremy Varner with the Iowa Department of Education says the agency expects to propose legislation based on recommendations of the task force, which was created in 2013. He says the cost of implementing such recommendations hasn’t been developed.