Check out the 2023 Job Shadow and Internship Presentation to learn more about student job shadow and internship opportunities and how to apply.

Eastern Iowa has many companies that supply jobs in diverse sectors such as manufacturing, ACE (Architecture, Construction, and Engineering), health care, transportation and logistics, business services, and information technology. Career options in these fields are rewarding and can provide above average income. Help your students explore the opportunities available within each sector at explore-careers.org.

The ACE Sector Board has created Build My Future in a virtual format. These career exploration videos provide learning opportunities designed by construction industry partners. Students can learn from construction professionals who describe their trade and explain the steps to pursue this career path.  Students can watch and participate in the entire two and a half hour event or select company specific presentations to watch.
Build My Future

How many times has a student said, “When am I going to use this?” Classroom speakers can be a great supplement for bringing the world of work into the classroom. Interactive options include:

Tools of the Trade: Whether it’s a computer, a whisk or a scalpel, everyone has to learn to use a tool to perform their job better. This event has a “show and tell” quality to it as students get to look, and sometime touch, the tools that are used in a variety of careers.

Products and Processes: How do widgets get made? What processes must be in place for a company to produce something? Professionals will demonstrate a product or a process used within their company and talk about ALL the careers and skills needed to make it happen!

These events have a “show and tell” quality so that the students can look, and where possible, touch and experience what is shown. Emphasis is on both the physical tools and academic tools needed to perform the job.

A worksite exploratory event is a career exploration experience where students tour a workplace to learn about careers, industry expectations, observe relevant work in progress and ask questions to industry professionals. The worksite exploratory event is focused on a career pathway, offers an opportunity to learn in-depth about several careers on-site and includes an interactive session for the students to explore the career.

The Financial Literacy Fair is the culmination of a year's worth of financial study and career exploration for area middle school students.

During the year students will learn how to make a budget and the importance of saving money. They will also explore careers based on their skills and interests. From this exploration they will choose a career and receive a monthly paycheck for that career to use at the Financial Literacy Fair.

During the Financial Literacy Fair students will make a series of decisions about how to spend their money. Transportation, Housing, Insurance and Food are just a few of the booths they will visit.

Just like in real life students will experience unexpected bills or windfalls at the Wheel of Reality. At the end of the fair they will meet with a financial counselor to see how they put their financial knowledge to work at the fair.

Financial Literacy Fair volunteer forms:

• Johnson County
• Washington County
• Iowa County
• Linn County

The STEAM Institute can help students explore everything that can be done in the science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics fields.

• Find Your Spark! Video
• STEAM Institute Testimonials 

During a Career Day, area business people speak about their career path and experiences to a group of students. Students can select which seminar to attend based on their interests. Career Days range from half an hour to half a day.

Career Fairs are broader than Career Days. Area professionals setup booths in a county-centralized location, with the students selecting which booths to visit, depending on their interests. This type of event encourages students to work on communication skills by interacting with a business person in small groups or one on one.

Business people share their career path and experience with a small group or an entire classroom. Speakers can open students to opportunities they may never have considered and inform them about educational and experiential requirements for a particular career field.

The culminating activity to our Business Etiquette program: a focus on preparing to enter the workforce with discussion on resumes, cover letters, applications and interviewing.

Whether you're trying to get a part-time job or getting ready for college interviews, the mock interview process will allow you to practice your interviewing skills before the real thing. Contact your School Liaison for the link to the on-line Mock Interview application.

A worksite exploratory event is a career exploration experience where students tour a workplace to learn about careers, industry expectations, observe relevant work in progress and ask questions to industry professionals. The worksite exploratory event is focused on a career pathway, offers an opportunity to learn in-depth about several careers on-site and includes an interactive session for the students to explore the career.

High school students (grades 10-12) can meet with business people to learn more about local careers. Job shadows last from two to six hours. It's an excused absence from school. Workplace Learning Connection will inform your school attendance office of the job shadow date, time and place. Transportation is the student's responsibility. Here are some answers to Frequently Asked Questions about Job Shadows.

High school juniors and seniors who participate in the internship program earn dual credit through Kirkwood Community College and their local high school. They experience career exploration onsite with a business/organization while learning professional development with WLC. Students need access to a device when participating in a WLC internship.

Interns learn new skills, apply classroom knowledge in a real-world setting, develop employability behaviors that better prepare them for the workplace and gain insight that will help them make more informed career choices. Below are some helpful resources:

• How To Apply
• Appendix A of School Handbook "Checklist for Counselors"
• Appendix B of School Handbook "Parent Approval Form"
• Appendix C of School Handbook "Teacher Recommendation Form"
• Appendix D of Student Handbook "Outside Recommendation Form"