Partners, educators, and parents — THANK YOU for another great school year! We are so appreciative of your support and advocacy of our work to connect today’s students to tomorrow’s careers. We look forward to collaborating with you next year and continuing to make a difference in the lives of our students.

Year in Review — School Year 2024 – ’25

The 2024 – ’25 school year was full of learning, discovery, opportunity, and FUN! We couldn’t have done it without the support of our amazing partners and volunteers. Check out this video to see some of the experiences your involvement helped support.

Student Editorial: Jozlynn Mitchell, Anamosa High School — Diagnostic Imaging Intern at Jones Regional Medical Center

My name is Jozlynn Mitchell. I am currently a senior at Anamosa High School. This spring I completed a WLC-coordinated internship at Jones Regional Medical Center (JRMC) in the Radiology Department. My internship solidified my decision to pursue a career in OB sonography. I had the opportunity to work alongside a radiologist, who would review the imaging with me. It is cool to see what certain medical problems look like. I have learned what [radiologists] are looking for and how to operate the machines. My experience also taught me how to talk to patients when doing imaging and how to ensure they are comfortable.

I signed up for an internship to gain experience in the field of radiology. I used this experience as an opportunity to get my foot in the door. What surprised me the most about the career was what the day-to-day looks like and how busy the team is. Working at the hospital, they have their own patients, but they also get patients all throughout the day from the inpatient unit and the ER. There is not as much downtime as I expected, and time flies by. That is one thing I like about the department, and how they are always busy and fitting people into their schedule. It makes it easy to learn and see new things.

Throughout my internship, I have grown in my communication skills, time management skills, and motivation. I have been extremely busy with my internship and also getting hired at JRMC as a patient care tech at the same time. I had to learn to communicate with my teachers, my manager, and the radiology department. This experience has given me motivation to succeed and continue doing my very best to get where I want to be! Next, I plan to go to the University of Iowa to study diagnostic imaging.

Doing an internship in high school provides you with the opportunity to find yourself and what you want to do before going to college. It also provides you with a change of scenery so you don’t have to sit in a classroom all day. It comes with many perks, and I highly recommend reaching out to WLC to see if they offer an internship that sparks your interest; you will not be disappointed! An internship provides the opportunity to grow and learn in a chosen career while also providing employability skills needed in the future.

WLC Provides Expanded Mock Interview Opportunity to Academy Students

This month, WLC developed and launched an expanded version of our Mock Interview Program for 82 students from the Kirkwood Linn County Regional Center Industrial Tech Academies, which include: Architecture, Construction and Engineering (ACE); Auto Technology; and Advanced Manufacturing.

This collaboration with the College Credit in High School (CCHS) team arose when a need for career preparation and interviewing skills was identified. Students in these programs were missing these skill sets. Students provided feedback that when they got to their first interview, they didn’t feel prepared.

This event expanded on WLC’s existing Mock Interview format. Extending the length of the interview to twenty minutes, which was comprised of 12-15 minutes for the business to ask questions and 5-8 minutes for them to provide immediate feedback on the student’s performance and resume. For this event, WLC brought in 17 area professionals from industrial tech industries (ACE, Auto, Manufacturing) to interview the students. “This was a valuable experience for everyone involved. The students came well-prepared, demonstrated a clear understanding of expectations, and showed genuine curiosity about career paths, education, and training opportunities,” says Jennifer Manatt, Assistant Program Director for the Concrete Industry Management Program with South Dakota State University. “These mock interviews served as a powerful way to connect with students exploring college programs and careers.”

In advance of the mock interview event, WLC and CCHS staff put a huge emphasis on preparation by working with students on building out resumes and providing tips on interviewing. Less than 1/3 of the students had a resume before working with our team. WLC brought in a Senior Academic Advisor and Internship/Practicum Specialist with the University of Iowa College of Education to lead three mock interview prep sessions with these students in the month leading up to the interviews. They covered how to answer questions in an interview, how to create a resume, and they even practiced filling out an application.

This event provides a great opportunity for students to learn valuable skills, get exposure to industry contacts, and learn about local companies hiring for relevant careers. They were also able to get a feel for what types of questions these contacts typically ask entry-level candidates, which will help them prepare for future interviews. “I loved this experience; it taught me what to expect out of a real industry interview. I also gained insight into what it is going to be like going into the automotive industry,” says Linn-Mar High School senior and Kirkwood Auto Tech Career Academy student Cooper Tentinger. “Being comfortable talking to people and having people skills is a very important thing in any industry.”

“Mock interviews give students a chance to step outside of the classroom and practice real-world communication skills that are just as important as technical knowledge,” says Scott Corell, Advanced Manufacturing Academy Instructor. “It helps them build confidence, learn how to present themselves professionally, and get comfortable with the kind of questions they’ll face in the job market. In the trades, showing up prepared and knowing how to talk about your skills can be the difference between getting the job and getting passed over.”