Workplace Learning Connection

03/31/2026

Way to go Hazel Point Intermediate students!

Thank you United Way of East Central Iowa for sharing your organization and your careers with these students.

03/30/2026

Nursing Day Job Shadow at Kirkwood

"The job shadow gave me more ideas of what a nursing career can look like while working at a hospital. I also learned that there are so many different types of nurses out there. I loved the hands on nature of the shadow, especially the simulation heart and lung injections." - Adeyinka Kedolou, Prairie High School

Kirkwood Community College

03/27/2026

Twenty40 Companies We appreciate you sharing your knowledge and insights into the real estate industry with students!

03/27/2026

We are so appreciative of our mock interview volunteers! Thank you.

HR Program Lead Francine Jackson recently shared her expertise with students during a Kirkwood Workplace Learning Connection event!

Through the mock interview process, students gained valuable firsthand experience, practicing their communication skills and receiving thoughtful, constructive feedback they can carry with them into future opportunities. Experiences like this help build confidence, sharpen professional skills, and better prepare students for success beyond the classroom.

03/26/2026

Chasity Alexander graduated from Iowa Valley Jr/Sr High School in 2023. During her time at Iowa Valley, she completed 3 WLC job shadows, and a WLC internship with Safe Haven of Iowa County as an animal caretaker.

“My WLC internship gave me real, hands-on exposure to working with animals in a professional setting,” Chasity says. “Before that experience, I knew I loved animals, but I didn’t fully understand what careers in the animal field looked like day to day. Being in that environment helped me see the responsibility, emotional investment, and work ethic it takes to care for animals professionally. It helped me realize that I didn’t just love animals — I wanted to build a career working with them.”

Feeling confident in her path, Chasity decided to graduate high school a semester early and enrolled in the Pet Grooming Program at Kirkwood Community College just one week later. “My internship experience directly influenced my education and career path and gave me the clarity to move forward quickly and intentionally,” Chasity says. “I enrolled in the 12-week Pet Grooming Program at Kirkwood Community College and completed it before my original high school class had even graduated. The program provided hands-on training in breed cuts, safety, sanitation, client communication, and business fundamentals. It allowed me to step directly into the grooming industry with confidence and technical skill. I chose Kirkwood because of its strong hands-on training programs and its connection to local career pathways. Since I had already benefited from WLC opportunities, continuing my education at Kirkwood felt like a natural next step. It allowed me to move efficiently into a career-focused program without delay.”

Today, Chasity is the groomer at Kennel & Grooming in Williamsburg, managing her ever growing list of clients!

Don't forget, applications for first-semester 2026 (fall) internships are now being accepted. Current 10th and 11th grade students are eligible to apply: https://www.kirkwood.edu/workplace-learning-connection/internships/index

Kirkwood Pet Grooming Program Iowa Valley Community School District

03/25/2026

Central City 7th Grade Career Speaker Day! 📸

"I really enjoy getting to introduce students to the Civil Engineering, Landscape Architecture, and Land Surveying career fields. These are career fields that I was never introduced to until I was in college. They are careers with good growth and it's nice to possibly interest a student in pursuing it in the future. I also appreciate the good communication and smooth process of volunteering." - Daniel Zirtzman, Hall & Hall Engineers, Inc.

City Community School Hall & Hall Engineers Kirkwood Medical Laboratory Technology program Kirkwood Community College ISU Extension and Outreach - Linn County

03/24/2026

A few weeks ago, Halcyon House-A WesleyLife Community in Washington, hosted 3 students, helping them explore careers in nursing and healthcare. Students got a behind-the-scenes look at the different levels of living, saw Halcyon House team members in action, and got to participate in a drumming exercise class with residents!

Many thanks to Halcyon House for hosting these students.

Mid-Prairie CSD Williamsburg Community School District

03/23/2026

Thank you to Brothers Market in Tipton for donating cookies and water for our Cedar County High School Career Fair earlier this month!

We are lucky to have them as part of our community!

Brothers Market-Tipton IA

03/17/2026

We’re grateful for partners like Corridor Energy Cooperative who invest their time and talent into creating meaningful career exploration experiences for students. Events like Electric Utility Career Day help bring career pathways to life and inspire the next generation of professionals. ⚡

03/13/2026

Another great internship opportunity this semester for a Washington HS student with a new partner at Rexco!

We are excited to welcome Rexco's new Marketing Intern, Cal Orr!

Cal is joining us through Kirkwood Community College’s Workplace Learning Connection to gain real world experience and learn how Rexco serves contractors and customers across our markets.

We are glad to have him on the team for the next couple of months!

03/12/2026

Another great example of the power of career exploration.

Last week, Above & Beyond Heating and Air Conditioning, LLC hosted Bisimwa Ruguduka from West High for a heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) job shadow. Experiences like these give students the chance to see what a career really looks like while building connections with local employers.

The feedback from Bisimwa’s host says it all:

“The job shadowing experience was highly successful. Bisimwa arrived promptly, engaged actively in a hands-on manner, asked insightful questions, demonstrated strong initiative, and conducted himself with complete professionalism. He embodies exactly the qualities we seek in an apprentice, which is why we are pleased to extend him an offer of apprenticeship with our company should he wish to join us. This student possesses the ideal attributes to thrive in the skilled trades.”
— Liz Kelly, Owner

Moments like this are why work-based learning matters. When students are given the opportunity to explore careers in real workplaces, it can open doors they may never have imagined.

A big thank you to Above & Beyond Heating and Air Conditioning, LLC for investing in the next generation of the skilled trades.

City West High School

03/11/2026

Throwback to the accountant job shadow hosted by LattaHarris last fall!

What a great experience for these students.

LattaHarris, LLP CPAs & Consultants