New data shows that more Iowa high school students than ever are accomplishing work-based learning experiences with 45% of all high school seniors from the class of 2025 achieving at least one work-based learning experience while in high school. Student participation is up nearly 20 percentage points over the last two years, increasing from 31.7% in 2024 and 25.5% in 2023.

Iowa has enacted multiple pieces of legislation championed by Governor Reynolds and the Iowa Department of Education to advance career-connected learning, including 2024 legislation that better defines and supports high-quality work-based learning. Work-based learning includes sustained project-based learning in partnership with an employer, simulated work experiences aligned with industry-recognized credentials and high-quality pre-apprenticeships, student learner programs, internship and apprenticeships.

Iowa is also implementing 2025 legislation requiring career exploration beginning in the 5th grade and, now, Iowa’s class of 2026 will also be the first class to receive industry-recognized credential seals on their high school diplomas. Prior legislation also ensured qualifying Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses could count for core science and math credit and established the CTE Career Cluster Endorsement and WBL Authorization to support a strong CTE educator pipeline.

The next Pathway Pillars in Practice is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 23, at 3 p.m. 

Faculty member and former Co-Director of Guided Pathways, Carl Lindberg, will present discussion topics based on his journey learning about how current students navigate community college. This conversation aims to explore how faculty can engage with the Guided Pathways framework at their institutions and demystify aspects of Guided Pathways that may deter faculty from adopting it. Faculty, staff and administrators are encouraged to attend this informative session and register now.

Pathway Pillars in Practice is a series of webinars that create communities of practice around specific topics related to one of the four pillars of guided pathways. Each session highlights the work of at least one of the 15 Iowa community colleges is doing related to guided pathways. 

For more information, contact Bureau of Community Colleges Education Program Consultant Kelly Friesleben at kelly.friesleben@iowa.gov.

Building on the success of last fall's inaugural work-based learning webinar series, the Iowa Department of Education and Iowa Workforce Development are collaborating on a new series of work-based learning webinars for the current academic year.

The webinar series is designed to showcase some of the most proven programs and approaches to work-based learning in Iowa’s most in-demand industries.

Both employers and educators are highly encouraged to register for the series, which is intended to help participants explore and ultimately partner on meaningful work-based learning programs.

Each webinar session is held from 3:30-4:30 p.m. The full schedule with planned session topics and registration links is listed below:

• Oct. 7 - Growing Employer High School Internship Programs 
• Nov. 4 - Work-Based Learning: A Key Strategy to Address Iowa’s Healthcare Workforce Shortage 
• Feb. 10 - Preparing Student-Learners for Construction and Advanced Manufacturing Careers 
• March 10 - Incorporating Industry-Recognized Credentials into Work-Based Learning

Recordings of the webinar sessions will be available on Iowa Workforce Development’s website after the conclusion of each webinar session.

For more information on career-connected learning and work-based learning opportunities, visit the Department’s webpage. Specific questions on the webinars can be directed to Administrative Consultant Heather Meissen at heather.meissen@iowa.gov.

The Bureau of Community Colleges staff is hosting a series of technical assistance webinars throughout the year. 

The next sessions are for Oct. 16 and 23 with sessions on the summer college credit program and Pathways Pillars in Practice.

Participants can visit the Community College Technical Assistance Webinars webpage to register or contact Education Program Consultant for Program Quality and Faculty Support Derreck Calkins at derreck.calkins@iowa.gov. 

Join the Iowa Governor's STEM Advisory Council this fall for the Iowa STEM Summit on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025, at the Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center, in Des Moines.

This free full-day event brings together educators, industry leaders, policymakers, and STEM advocates from across the state to explore innovative strategies, share best practices, and hear from leaders who are advancing STEM education and artificial intelligence (AI) along with the technologies to support it. 

The Iowa STEM Summit features engaging keynote speakers, interactive breakout sessions, and networking opportunities designed to inspire and empower attendees. This year, we’ll have an AI track to explore the role of artificial intelligence in education, the workforce and everyday life. 

While free to attend, registration is required and open through Oct. 9.

The application period for the 2025-26 Career Academy Incentive Fund remains open through Nov. 14 for the fall grant cycle. 

The Career Academy Incentive Fund supports increased access to career academy programs through regional centers and highlights partnerships between school districts, community colleges, business and industry and other partners. Successful proposals promote equitable access to high-quality career and technical education programs and include at least one school district and one community college. Priority consideration will be given to applicants who focus on programming delivered to at least four school districts. The Department will also consider tier 2 proposals that improve or expand existing career academies delivered through a regional center.

For more information, please contact contact Bureau of CTE and Postsecondary Readiness Administrative Consultant Heather Meissen at heather.meissen@iowa.gov.

We’re excited to welcome Jodie Smith to our staff as an Education Program Consultant for work based learning and industry-recognized credentials. 

Smith joins the Department from Central College where she was the director of career development for two years. She has also served at Iowa Western Community College where she was an academic advisor and director of the TRIO/SSS program.

Join our team! The Bureaus of Community Colleges and CTE and Postsecondary Readiness have new career opportunities for candidates passionate about education in Iowa.

We are hiring for two positions: CTE and Postsecondary Readiness Bureau Chief and Education Program Consultant (EPC) for Career and Academic Planning. The Bureau Chief position closes on Oct. 9 and the EPC for Career and Academic Planning position closes Oct. 5.

To learn more about this and other Department job postings, visit the Iowa Department of Administrative Services website. For specific questions about open bureau positions, contact Bureau of Community Colleges Chief Amy Gieseke at amy.gieseke@iowa.gov.