News : Kirkwood’s Workplace Learning Connection speaks to Lions Club

Kirkwood's Workplace Learning Connection (WLC) presenter, Laura Miner, the Work-Based Learning Coordinator, spoke to the area Lions Club about WLC's mission, purpose and impact in our region. WLC, a department of Kirkwood Community College, works to serve as the central connection piece between schools and businesses for real-life, in-time, workplace experiences.

Students participate in several experiences from 7th-12th grade including career exposure events, financial literacy fairs, guest speaker days, job shadows and internships. In the 22-23 school year, Benton County saw 1,415 students participate in at least one career exploration event.

One of the most recent events was the Career Fair held at the Vinton-Shellsburg High School. This event brought in around thirty different businesses, the majority local, to speak with high school students. Miner, in partnership with the high school, led the organization of this event.

This year, Vinton-Shellsburg also paired it with an internally organized College Fair. The event was labeled a success by students, staff and employers, and even resulted in an increase of students requesting WLC job shadow experiences, which is when students have the opportunity to visit a job site and learn more about a career in a day.

There has been a strong increase in requests for WLC experiences over the last three years, and participation and interest continue to rise in Kirkwood's region. The need to expose students to employers and opportunities in our local areas grows increasingly important in the highly competitive job market. It is also pivotal to introduce students to the reality of careers and types of skills, both soft and hard, that play a key role in success.

In partnership with great school districts, Miner and WLC have done a lot of work in our area and beyond to create impactful experiences for students.