National Volunteer Appreciation Week is April 19 – 25, and WLC wants to thank all of our amazing businesses and volunteers. It is because of our partners that we are able to provide quality career awareness, career exploration, and work-based learning experiences to area students. This year alone, our partners volunteered nearly 29,000 hours to help support job shadows, internships, and career exploration events.

Local Students Gain Real-World Experience Through Mock Interviews

This semester, Workplace Learning Connection held mock interview events for the first time at Anamosa, Center Point-Urbana, and Monticello high schools. As part of the experience, students participated in a brief 15-minute interview with a local professional.

For many students, this was their very first interview experience.

The goal of the program is practical skill development — helping students build a skill they will need throughout their lives, whether interviewing for a job, college program, or scholarship. During the event, students had the opportunity to:

• Become familiar with common interview questions and begin formulating responses
• Gain experience conversing with an adult in a professional setting
• Understand how real-world interviews are conducted
• Receive feedback and tips from business volunteers
• Build confidence as they prepare for future interviews
• Identify areas where they may need additional experience or skill development

In preparation for the mock interviews, students prepared resumes, learned interview tips and best practices, and practiced responses to common interview questions.

Emily Gorman, a sophomore at Anamosa High School, said the experience was extremely helpful. “I had to make a resume for the first time, and it was really fun to go through it,” she said. “I got to remember all the experience I had, and it was helpful to see what I could improve. I learned how to make eye contact, speak clearly, and explain my responsibilities. It’s good practice for real life.”

Emily also appreciated the classroom preparation that helped make the process less intimidating.

“One piece of advice I have for students preparing for an interview is to practice your answers out loud, or even in a mirror, so you can see what your face is doing. You don’t want to make weird faces when thinking of an answer.”

Carmen Stenger, counselor at Center Point-Urbana High School, emphasized the long-term value of the experience.

“We were very excited about the mock interviews. We are continually working to provide enriching experiences for our students. Through the process of considering their strengths, creating a resume, learning about job interview etiquette, and participating in a mock interview, we believe our sophomores will gain valuable skills that will benefit them far beyond the walls of Center Point-Urbana High School.”

WLC Business Liaison Julie Welter, who coordinated the Anamosa and Monticello mock interviews, said the growth in students’ confidence is one of the most rewarding parts of the experience.

“Mock interviews give students practice for their first interviews at a time when it really matters. It’s better to learn in a controlled environment than to face a real interview unprepared. We are excited to make these a recurring event in future years.”

From Shop Class to Structural Design: How One Teacher and a Job Shadow Shaped Tessa Smith’s Career Path

When Tessa Smith looks back on her journey from high school student to structural designer, one thing is clear: her path wasn’t defined by a single moment but by a series of opportunities sparked by one influential teacher, and a willingness to say “yes.”

A 2020 graduate of Benton Community High School, Tessa took all the shop classes she could in middle and high school. It wasn’t until a new shop teacher joined the school that her perspective on careers began to shift. “He was really focused on getting us out into the community,” Tessa shared. “We went on field trips, learned about manufacturing, and he brought in more modern tools — like Revit — which introduced me to the technology side of drafting.”

That exposure was pivotal. For the first time, Tessa began to see a connection between what she was learning in the classroom and real-world careers in architecture and engineering. By her senior year, that same teacher required students to complete a job shadow or internship as part of the program — something Tessa admits she may not have pursued otherwise.

That requirement led her to participate in a job shadow at Shive-Hattery’s Architecture and Engineering Day through Workplace Learning Connection.

“I didn’t know much about the industry at the time,” Tessa said. “But it was a great experience. It gave me exposure to a company like Shive-Hattery and helped me start thinking more seriously about what I wanted to do after high school.”

While Tessa initially planned to attend Iowa State University, the COVID-19 pandemic shifted her plans. Instead, she chose to enroll in Kirkwood Community College’s Architectural Technology program — a decision that allowed her to build on the skills she had already started developing in high school.

“I already had experience with the software they used, so it felt like a natural place to start,” she said.

“I really enjoyed my time at Kirkwood. While there, I participated on a team in a National Home Builders competition. That experience opened my eyes to the architectural side of the industry, which I loved.”

As part of the Architectural Technology program, Tessa completed an electrical drafting internship with a local engineering firm and continued to work with them during her last year of school — an experience that broadened her understanding of the field. “Initially, I was hoping for an architecture internship, not necessarily electrical drafting,” she explained. “But that experience gave me a wider skill set, which has been valuable. I am glad I took advantage of that opportunity.”

Her path came full circle when representatives from Shive-Hattery visited Kirkwood to speak with students about job opportunities. Although the available role was in structural design, something she hadn’t previously explored, Tessa decided to apply. “I knew the company from my job shadow, and I liked what I saw, so I went for it,” she said.

That decision paid off. Today, Tessa has been working in structural design at Shive-Hattery for nearly four years, contributing to industrial projects and collaborating across disciplines. “Now I get to touch a little bit of everything — structural, architectural, even some electrical review work,” she said. “Having that background has really helped me grow.”

Tessa also helps host job shadow students at Shive-Hattery, giving back through the same experience that once helped shape her own future. “It’s definitely a full-circle moment,” she said. “I remember how intimidating it felt to walk in as a student, not knowing anyone. Now I get to be on the other side and help make that experience better for someone else, and help show them how something as seemingly as small as a job shadow can give you connections for down the road.”

When asked what advice she would give to high school students considering a job shadow, her answer is simple: “Don’t be scared. No one expects you to know everything. Just take the opportunity — and take as many as you can.”

Tessa found a career that continues to challenge and inspire her — and now she’s helping the next generation do the same.

College Credits → Career Exploration → Career Clarity: Jacey Reineke’s Story

Jacey Reineke, a 2024 graduate of Belle Plaine High School, made the most of her high school experience by completing her Associate of Arts degree through Kirkwood Community College’s College Credit in High School program — all before graduation.

Alongside this impressive academic achievement, Jacey gained valuable real-world experience through a Workplace Learning Connection job shadow at Transamerica and a WLC internship at MidWestOne Bank.

“My job shadow and internship experiences helped me see what financial and analytical careers look like in real life,” Jacey shared. “I got to observe professionals and understand the skills they use every day. Having that real-world experience helped me confirm that I wanted to pursue a degree in Actuarial Science, and it made my path after high school feel clear and intentional.”

Jacey is currently studying Actuarial Science at the University of Iowa. Her transition to a large university was smooth, thanks to the Kirkwood classes she completed while in high school. “Completing my associate degree gave me a strong academic foundation, so I felt prepared for the workload and expectations at Iowa,” she said.

Looking ahead, Jacey hopes to one day work as an actuary, contributing to a company where she can apply her analytical thinking to real-world problems. “WLC and Kirkwood opened doors for me,” she said. “They helped me understand my strengths, explore career options, and build the confidence to pursue my dreams!”