Types of careers in this pathway include: accounting, financial services, management, marketing, entrepreneurship, event planning and more!
Explore the opportunities listed below, when you find the career exploration event you'd like to attend, write down its name so it is handy when you fill out your application.
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Career exploration days offer a great introduction to specific career fields and allow you to explore a broad scope of careers within that industry, all in one shadow experience. Career Exploration Days are a great option for initial exploration of a specific career or industry. On average, shadows are typically two to four hours in duration.
If you are interested in accounting, cyber security, coding, networking, IT support, or business analytics, you will want to attend this career exploration experience. Tour the office and have the opportunity for candid conversations with employees about their experience at RSM. Cap of 40.
If you are interested in a career in accounting, finance, or actuarial science, this job shadow is for you! Learn about careers at Transamerica from seasoned business professionals and recent college graduates. Cap of 25 participants.
Within every successful organization there are professionals who analyze and use data to inform strategy, decisions, and continual improvement. If you are interested in business analytics, business management, project management, data science, and/or research, this experience is for you! The Kirkwood Institutional Effectiveness team will discuss their individual roles and responsibilities as well as their path to their career. You’ll also learn about how they find meaning in data that is imperative for everyday organizational success. Cap of 10.
Within every successful organization there are professionals who analyze and use data to inform decision makers, supply operational needs, and forecast future events. If you are interested in business analytics, data science, or database management, this experience is for you! Kirkwood’s Reporting Services team will discuss their individual roles and responsibilities as well as their path to their career. You’ll also learn about the tools they use to organize, clean and create visualizations for data insights. Held November 2025. Cap of 10.
Lil’ Drug Store Products is the market leader for Health & Beauty Care products supplied to over 180,000 convenience stores, airport stores, and hotels in the U.S. Spend time with us to learn about career opportunities in sales, category management, marketing, supply chain, warehouse operations and more! Join our team for a facility tour, lunch, and interactive discussions with key business leaders. If you are planning to attend trade school, college, or seek a career after graduation, we hope you will join us to learn about all the different opportunities at Lil’ Drug Store Products. Cap of 10.
Students with an interest in information technology, marketing, human resources or operations can visit our corporate office in Cedar Rapids. Discussions with dispatchers, customer service representatives, recruiters and IT professionals will be included along with a tour of the facility. Cap of 10.
Do you enjoy solving problems, servicing customers, and working with fellow employee-owners? Explore the growing fields of supply chain and warehouse logistics while learning how Van Meter’s culture and employee-owner experience makes it a fun place to work! Join the team for a tour of the facility and meet with operations and automations staff to learn about a variety of careers such as project management, distribution center team member, traveling construction coordinator, engineering, sales, marketing, and finance. Cap of 20.
The Jacobson Institute presents DesignDash, a one-day, fast paced entrepreneurial startup simulation. Participants work in teams to solve problems they face using entrepreneurial solutions that drive innovation forward. Entrepreneurs and local industry partners are onsite mentors. If you’re interested in problem-solving, developing solutions and starting your own business, this shadow is for you. Full day job shadow, lunch provided. Fall 2025.
Are you interested in becoming an entrepreneur or thinking of starting your own company? Don’t miss this opportunity to spend time with successful local entrepreneurs in the area and learn from the professionals. You’ll get to listen to a local company share about their business challenges and identify opportunities through a nation-wide and weekly program called 1 Million Cups. The goal of 1 Million Cups is to help entrepreneurs discover solutions and network, while providing a “supportive, inclusive space for them and their communicates to gather and connect.” Following the program, you’ll tour the facility and participate in a 1-hour roundtable with a local entrepreneur in Cedar Rapids. Cap of 20.
Do you dream of opening your own boutique, restaurant or small business? Spend a day behind the scenes with area entrepreneurs to see what it takes to keep a small business up and running! You'll get to witness a few types of business models, tour businesses and meet with Main Street West Branch entrepreneurs to hear real life experiences and ask questions about owning a small business and e-commerce. Cap of 7.
If you are interested in business and/or starting your own company, join us on this great day. We will attend a One Million Cups meeting where entrepreneurs come together to share their business ideas and get support. You will meet real entrepreneurs and learn the good, the bad, the ugly and how they started their business.There will be a panel Q and A discussion. Knowing the questions and answers helps entrepreneurs be more successful raising money (venture capital), and growing their startups.
Curious about project management as a career option? What does this job entail? Is it for you? The demand for project managers and project management skills is on the rise. Hear first-hand from a panel of local employers on ways you can prepare now for future success, and partake in a hands-on project management activity. In this unique job shadow, you will explore, learn, and connect with professionals in the field of project management and work with current Kirkwood project management students.
Explore all aspects of digital and creative marketing at Clickstop! A leader in e-commerce, you’ll be shown how they live out their core value: ‘Think Big and Make it Happen!’ every day through a unique team culture. Learn about careers in graphic design, videography/photography, SEM/PPC, email and social media marketing, and web development. Being exceptional at internet marketing is critical to the success of Clickstop’s brands. Held in late October. Cap of 20
Interested in a career in marketing and working for an organization that gives back to the community? Through small group round table discussions, you will be able to hear about a typical day in the life of content creators, graphic designers, and digital marketing experts from local nonprofit organizations.
Find out what it takes to become a licensed real estate agent and determine whether this career is right for you! Discover common practices to build a successful real estate business, attend a showing at a property, make a comparative market analysis, and speak with a mortgage officer/lender to learn how they work with real estate agents to help clients. Cap of 8.
Realtor Panel - Ask us anything! Both commercial and residential realtors will be available to provide insight into real estate and the many other professions affiliated with this profession. Topics of interest may include how to attain a real estate license; employment options; a day in the life; the benefits; the challenges and areas to focus on to best prepare for this profession. Cap of 25.
Individual/small group shadows allow for a deeper dive into specific careers, shadowing a professional(s) in that field. These small group shadows are perfect for those who are more confident in their career interests and have had some initial exposure to that career. Job shadows may be individualized or include a handful of students, depending on demand. Pick from the below list of careers and the associated career descriptions.
Analyze financial information and prepare financial reports to determine or maintain records of assets, liabilities, profit and loss, tax liability or other financial activities within an organization.
Provide high-level administrative support by conducting research, preparing statistical reports, handling information requests and performing clerical functions such as preparing correspondence, receiving visitors, arranging conference calls and scheduling meetings. May also train and supervise lower-level clerical staff.
Advise clients on financial plans using knowledge of tax and investment strategies, securities, insurance, pension plans and real estate. Duties include assessing client assets, liabilities, cash flow, insurance coverage, tax status and financial objectives.
Combines the skills, technologies, applications and processes used by organizations to gain insight into their business based on data and statistics to drive business planning.
An entrepreneur is an individual who creates a new business, bearing most of the risks and enjoying most of the rewards. As a business owner you can spend almost half of your time dealing with administrative and non-revenue-generating tasks.
People with these jobs recruit, interview, train and support employees of an organization.
Plan, direct or coordinate marketing policies and programs such as determining the demand for products and services offered by a firm and its competitors and identify potential customers. Develop pricing strategies with the goal of maximizing the firm's profits or share of the market while ensuring the firm's customers are satisfied. Oversee product development or monitor trends that indicate the need for new products and services.
Rent, buy or sell property for clients. Perform duties such as reviewing property listings, interview prospective clients, accompany clients to property site, discuss conditions of sale and draw up real estate contracts. Includes agents who represent buyer.
Sell merchandise, such as furniture, motor vehicles, appliances, or apparel to consumers. Can include management of a retail location.
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