Human Services

Here is your opportunity to learn everything you need to know about a variety of athletic careers!  You will have the opportunity to visit with an athletic director, athletic trainer, and a couple of coaches.  You will learn what the daily tasks are in their jobs along with the education required.  You may also have the opportunity to observe a basketball practice to see some of these individuals in action!  Hosted early December 2024.

Would you like to be involved in sports and athletics with high level athletes in a college atmosphere on a daily basis. If you love to compete and to be around competitive individuals striving to be the best version of themselves, then please join us at Mount Mercy University to explore career paths as an athletic trainer, athletic director, sports information director, and college coach.

Do you like working with children? Want to make a difference? Learn about careers in education such as elementary school teacher, middle school teacher, high school teacher, school counselor, English Language Learner (ELL) teacher, special education teacher, and paraeducator. Hear about the daily tasks in their jobs along with the required education.

Learn about careers as a legislator, lobbyist, advocate, writer, and researcher as regional elected officials and professionals walk students through a role playing exercise of legislative action. Cap of 25.

Visit Kirkwood’s on-campus luxury 4 Diamond Hotel and learn about all of the professional management careers needed to create great experiences in hotels, resorts, events & conferences, and vacation destinations. Explore the world of hospitality management in a variety of careers including: Hotel, Front Office, Food & Beverage, Sales & Event, and Club Management as well as Theme Park Operations & Senior LIving Management. Come and see why your generation is finding happiness and success traveling and working all around the globe as well as right here at home.

Explore the many exciting career opportunities available at our Adult Day Health Centers where we serve a variety of people age 18 and older!  Our social workers assist with care plans, funding, and problem solving every day community needs.  Nurses monitor medications, work with community physicians, and complete health assessments.  Patient Care Assistants do many of the same tasks as a CNA such as safety awareness/fall prevention, bathing, activities, and meal assistance.  Program and activity specialists and our habilitation staff engage our participants in programming, outings, special events, and individualized programming that helps them meet their goals. Our dining staff make sure we are following special diets and honor personal choice.  We would love to have you join us and show you not only what it takes to do their work day to day, but how roles interact to meet the needs of our participants!

Learn about different careers involved in child development from students, faculty, and staff at the University of Iowa Health Care. Learn how these careers interact with children and aid in their development through hands-on activities.

Come explore a career in Beauty and Wellness at our annual Halloween Career Day. Capri offers advanced training in Cosmetology, Esthetics and Massage Therapy. During this Career Day you will have the opportunity to interact with students and staff, watch a live student competition, learn more about each program, tour the building and so much more. Plus, you will have the opportunity to see firsthand what it is like to learn from our licensed Cosmetology instructors during our Hands on mini classes. If you are interested in becoming a professional stylist, skin care specialist, platform artist, licensed massage therapist or makeup artist this event was made for you.

Come join PCI Academy for an inside look at what the world of cosmetology, esthetics, and massage therapy looks like. See how exciting and amazing your future career can be.

The Cedar Rapids Fire Department is a dynamic and diverse organization that provides an outstanding opportunity for those interested in a public service career. If you’d like to learn about the skills and education it takes to be a firefighter/paramedic, then this is the event for you!  Individuals in these careers will give you all the details regarding what they do, plus provide some training exercises to show you first-hand what it feels like to be in this career field. Cap of 25.

Interested in helping people live better lives? Through small group, round table discussions you will have the opportunity to hear and ask questions from individuals in a variety of career disciplines, including social work, counseling, psychology, and social services.

Learn about mental health careers from faculty, staff, and students at the Carver College of Medicine and University of Iowa Health Care! Learn the difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist and learn what the day-to-day looks like for a therapist.

Have you ever been interested in knowing more about the military and how they operate from a job/career perspective? This job shadow will allow you to hear from the following branches of the military: Air Force, Army, Marines, National Guard, and Navy. The goal is for you to spend time with representatives from each branch so you have a broad understanding of how each operates. They will share with you about what makes their branch unique, career opportunities available (other than combat); how schooling, college, and other specialized training is handled, as well as various lifestyle factors to consider.

This opportunity is a good fit for students interested in working in the social services or non-profit sectors. Students will learn about food insecurity here in Linn County and how work is being done to alleviate the need within our community. You will learn about the different food needs of diverse communities and how to navigate language barriers. Students will be introduced to food pantries, volunteers, and many cultural communities by helping with community food distribution during this job shadow. Held late September to mid-October 2024.

If you are interested in a career in social work, case management and direct care by helping people with disabilities and mental health challenges in navigating day-to-day circumstances of life, you will want to attend this event! Hear from energetic Systems Unlimited staff who work in various roles in the field, like Supported Community Living (SCL) Supervisors, Employment Systems and Day Program Staff and Human Resources. They are looking forward to meeting you! Cap of 25.

Interested in public safety, law enforcement, or 911 dispatching? Sign up to tour the Benton County Sheriff’s Office and learn more about the role of a 911/Emergency dispatcher. From answering 911 calls to dispatching emergency services to emergency calls for service, you will experience the day-to-day responsibilities of a dispatcher. Cap of 10.

Learn about a career in healthcare that is outside the four walls of a hospital. A career in EMS as an EMT or Paramedic is a rewarding profession. Receive an inside look at this potential profession from current ground and flight EMS providers. Along with getting hands-on experience with life-saving skills such as airway management, bleeding control, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR. Held Fall 2024 and Spring 2025.

Investigate how to embark on a career path with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The FBI hires professionals in several criminal justice focused specialties, such as special agent, linguist, SWAT team member, intelligence analyst and victim specialist to name a few. The FBI also offers opportunities for early educational and professional experience to include a yearly Teen Academy and a 10-week paid college Internship program. This job shadow will take place at Kirkwood’s Johnson County Regional Center in Coralville in the Fall of 2024.

Held at the United States Courthouse in Cedar Rapids, you will have the opportunity to hear from professionals in a variety of legal fields, such as a judge, an attorney panel, probation officer, and U.S. Marshal.  If scheduling works, you also may be able to observe a court proceeding. These legal professionals will provide information and details about their specific careers and allow time for questions. Cap of 25.

Are you interested in a career in the legal field? Want to learn about a career as an attorney? Ever wonder what a magistrate judge does? Explore these careers and tour the courthouse. Plus, you’ll get to see the legal system in action by sitting in on a morning of initial appearances and pre-trial conference cases. Cap of 4.

You will enjoy a tour of the police department in addition to having individuals from the Crime Scene Unit, Hazardous Devices Unit, K-9, Special Response Team, and Patrol Division speak to you about their careers. The shadow will conclude with learning some defense tactics and a Use of Force Simulator.

You will be given a tour of the facility in addition to hearing about a variety of careers in law enforcement including dispatch, K-9, bomb technician, police officer and crime investigation to name a few! Held November 2024. Cap of 20. 

Come attend a mini police academy day and learn what it takes to be a police officer.  You will also get to hear about the investigations, general patrol, drug task force and drone operations. You will also get a tour of the new North Liberty Police Department.  Held in Fall, 2024. This is a half day event.

Interested in learning more about what it means to be an Agent of Change? Here at the 6th District Department of Corrections, we honor our obligation to community safety by facilitating behavior change in the individuals entrusted to us for correctional community supervision, otherwise known as probation and parole. Come learn about two critical factors when it comes to community safety--care (support) and control (accountability) and hear from staff who have served, or are serving, in the critical roles of Residential Officer and Probation/Parole Officer and what it takes to be a highly effective officer. You will also have the opportunity to tour one of our residential facilities. Cap of 10.

Mix and bake ingredients to produce breads, rolls, cookies, cakes, pies, pastries or other baked goods.

Attend to children at schools, businesses, private households, and childcare institutions. Perform a variety of tasks such as dressing, feeding, bathing, and overseeing play.

Provide beauty services such as shampooing, cutting, coloring and styling hair, and providing massages and scalp treatments. May apply makeup, dress wigs, perform hair removal, and provide nail and skincare services.

Counsel individuals and provide group educational and vocational guidance services.

Coordinate activities of staff, convention personnel or clients to make arrangements for group meetings, events or conventions.

Control and extinguish fires, protect life and property and conduct rescue efforts. Promote fire safety.

Perform various tasks to arrange and direct funeral services such as coordinating transportation of body to the mortuary, interviewing family or other authorized person to arrange details, selecting pallbearers, aiding with the selection of officials for religious rites, and providing transportation for mourners.

Patrol an assigned area to enforce laws and ordinances, regulate traffic, control crowds, prevent crime and arrest violators.

Administer libraries and perform related library services. Work in a variety of settings including public libraries, educational institutions, museums, corporations, government agencies, law firms, non-profit organizations, and health care providers. Tasks may include selecting, acquiring, cataloging, classifying, circulating, and maintaining library materials. May perform in-depth strategic research and synthesize, analyze, edit, and filter information.

Plan, direct, or coordinate programs designed to promote the religious education or activities of a denominational group. May provide counseling and guidance relative to marital, health, financial, and religious problems.

Social workers help people prevent and cope with problems in their everyday lives, deal with their relationships, and solve personal and family problems. Social workers are employed in a variety of settings, including child welfare and human service agencies, healthcare providers, and schools.

Direct and coordinate activities of personnel engaged in preparation of radio or television station program schedules and programs, such as sports or news.

Instruct preschool-aged children in activities designed to promote social, physical and intellectual growth needed for primary school, day care center or other child development facility. May be required to hold a state certification.

Teach students basic academic, social and other formative skills in public or private schools at the elementary level.

Teach students in one or more subjects in public or private schools at the middle or high school level.

Plan, direct, or coordinate research, instructional, student administration and services, and other educational activities at postsecondary institutions including universities, junior colleges, and community colleges.