Start your path to a career that makes a difference! Human services job shadow opportunities from Kirkwood can show you what it takes to succeed in this challenging but rewarding field.
Discover the wide variety of careers in the field of human services, such as: teacher, paraeducator, principal, guidance counselor, social worker, substance abuse counselor, lawyer, community outreach worker, police officer, probation officer, firefighter, EMT, chef, lodging manager, and event planner.
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.
Here is your opportunity to learn everything you need to know about a variety of athletic careers! You will have the opportunity to meet with an athletic director, athletic trainer, and several 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! Held early December 2025.
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 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. In roundtable discussions, hear and engage with a variety of educational professionals 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.
Experience a commercial kitchen environment in the Kirkwood Community College Baking and Pastry Lab during a live, hands-on lab session instructed by Kirkwood Hospitality faculty. Participants will learn more about the careers of bakers and pastry chefs, and be involved in production utilizing some fundamental kitchen techniques. You won’t go home hungry! Cap of 12.
Experience a commercial kitchen environment in the Kirkwood Community College Culinary Lab during a live, hands-on lab session instructed by Kirkwood Hospitality faculty. Participants will learn more about the career of a chef and be involved in production, utilizing some fundamental kitchen techniques. You won’t go home hungry! Cap of 16 students.
Introduction to culinary arts and a demonstration on simple kitchen tricks and techniques. Macaroni and cheese ”NOT FROM A BOX”, utilizing leftover ingredients to create simple and easy meals. Open conversation with a question and answer session. Cap of 10.
Visit Kirkwood’s on-campus luxury 4 Diamond Hotel and learn about all of the high-demand 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 aged 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 makes sure we are following special diets and honors 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 also how roles interact to meet the needs of our participants!
Join faculty, staff, and students to explore careers focused on child development. Through engaging, hands-on activities, you’ll see how professionals support children’s growth- emotionally, physically, and socially - and learn how these careers make a difference in young lives every day.
Ready to explore a career that’s creative, hands-on, and all about helping people feel their best? Join us at Capri College Career Day Experience— a one-of-a-kind event focused on all things Beauty and Wellness!
This open house-style event lets YOU choose where to spend your time — whether it's styling hair, trying new nail art, learning more about skincare, makeup trends, or benefits of massage. Get a behind-the-scenes look at our campus, meet real Capri students and instructors, as well participate in multiple HANDS-ON CLASSES led by licensed professionals.
If you’ve ever imagined yourself as a Cosmetologist, Barber, Esthetician ,Massage Therapist or Nail Technician, this is your chance to experience what that future really looks like.
Come join PCI Academy for an inside look at what the world of cosmetology, barbering, 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 firsthand 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 what qualities are important for therapists to have, possible environments you may work in, duties and responsibilities you will have as a therapist, and the difference between mental health counselors and social workers.
Explore the world of mental health care. Curious about careers that support mental wellness? Get a closer look at what psychologists, psychiatrists, and therapists really do- and how their roles differ. Through interactive sessions and hands-on activities, you'll also step into the world of mental health research and discover how science shapes care.
If you are interested in a career in social work, case management, or direct care, you will want to attend this event! Hear from energetic Systems Unlimited staff as they describe the rewarding work of supporting individuals with disabilities from the perspectives of direct care for behavioral and medical needs, supervisor and coordinator oversight, employment systems, human resources, and more! Cap of 25.
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 2025 and Spring 2026.
Learn about careers in Emergency Medicine. Interact with emergency services including AirCare medical transport and ambulance, and participate in simulated medical procedures that EMTs and paramedics experience daily! Learn how to become an EMT or a paramedic and get your questions answered by our team.
Interested in a career in the legal profession? Come speak with a variety of individuals who work in the legal field to learn more about their careers. You will have the opportunity to have a conversation with them and also receive a tour of the courthouse. You will hear from a State Prosecuting Attorney. Cap of 12.
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, a probation officer, and a U.S. Marshal. If scheduling works, you may also 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 2025. 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, drone operations, and hands-on VR training. You will also get a tour of the North Liberty Police Department. Held in Fall 2025. 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.
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.
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.
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