ICR’s population is growing faster than the national average. Not only do we have people seeking new opportunities, we’re also attracting individuals who want to return to ICR when the right opportunity becomes available. With an annual pipeline of thousands of graduates from the University of Iowa, Coe College, Cornell College, Mt. Mercy University, and Kirkwood Community College, our local employers regularly report that we have some of the best, brightest, and most ethical workers in the nation.
The ICR Talent Hub is a pool of professionals interested in new career opportunities in Iowa City-Cedar Rapids. Candidates are identified through targeted marketing campaigns implemented by ICR IOWA and then connected with local employers through bi-weekly electronic lists. What makes these candidates unique? Their interest in moving (or moving back) to ICR! They are identified through campaigns that specifically target professionals who want to be here, which often leads to a higher capture rate and a longer retention rate. We talk with each candidate individually to identify their skills, interests, and hopefully an ideal career match.
Employers must be members of the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance or investors in the Iowa City Area Development Group at the $1,000+ annual level to receive ICR Talent Hub candidates.
Handshake is a network that allows employers to connect with college talent across the nation. The platform is used by all of the colleges in our region and over 700 university career centers nation-wide. The platform allows your job postings to reach multiple schools across Iowa, the Midwest, and the nation.
The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) offers protection to workers, their families, and communities by requiring employers to give 60 days advance notice of covered plant closings and mass layoffs. A log of the notifications issued in Iowa can either be downloaded in PDF form or viewed directly in a dashboard maintained by Iowa Workforce Development. For employers searching to fill openings, the WARN notices can provide insight into workers who may be searching for new opportunities.
Attracting talent from outside our region takes more than just the promotion of a job….it takes the promotion of our amazing communities. ICR IOWA has developed a variety of resources our local recruiters can add to their own toolkit to promote Iowa City-Cedar Rapids as an amazing place to live.
Career Fair Booth Materials for New Grads: add an ICR IOWA banner and rack cards to your career fair booth to promote the region along with your job opportunities. The materials are designed to appeal to new college graduates and designs are free. Let us know if you need access to certain files for your printer of choice.
Significant Others: share a link to the ICR Talent Hub to help your candidate identify job opportunities for a significant other.
Candidate Brochure: share a copy of our candidate brochure with your hopeful hire when they come for a job interview. The brochure includes a pocket that is ideal for other materials including tourism and livability guides. A limited number of brochures are provided free of charge to Economic Alliance and ICAD investors. Employers can access those copies by sending a request to ICR Iowa at info@icadgroup.com. Employers may also order copies of the brochure for the cost of printing through ICR IOWA.
A variety of career fairs are held annually by local organizations and schools including:
Corridor Career Fairs
Website
Contact: Liz Kennedy, 319-368-8970, Liz.kennedy@thegazette.com
Kirkwood Career Fairs
Contact: Danielle Ebaugh, danielle.ebaugh@kirkwood.edu
University of Iowa Career Fairs
Website
Contact: Allan Boettger, Pomerantz Career Center, allan-boettger@uiowa.edu
Iowa State Career Fairs
Website
University of Northern Iowa Career Fairs
Website
Wingman is a program designed to help Iowa City-Cedar Rapids (ICR) newcomers navigate their new home. Through the program, newcomers are connected to a Wingman, a community champion with a robust network and knowledge of Iowa City – Cedar Rapids (ICR). Our Pre-Flight Checklist is used to match newcomers with the ideal Wingman, a first friend who can answer questions, make connections, and help our newest neighbors take flight in ICR IOWA!
Give your candidates and newcomers the best experience possible in Iowa City-Cedar Rapids by leveraging these resources, provided at no cost by ICR IOWA and our partners:
Candidate and Newcomer Website: make sure your candidates and newcomers from outside the region have access to the Iowa City-Cedar Rapids (ICR) candidate and newcomer website by sending them the link early on in your recruiting process.
/people/get-connected/”>Diversity Resource Guides: share our online diversity resource guides with candidates and newcomers who may benefit from them.
Wingman: arrange a tour of the region with a Wingman during candidate interviews and make sure your newcomers enroll in the newcomer program. Note: the concierge portion of Wingman is provided at no cost for employers who are members or investors at the $1,000+ level with the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance or the Iowa City Area Development Group.
Significant Others: make sure candidates know about the ICR Talent Hub as a way to seek assistance for a significant other who may need a new job opportunity in ICR.
The colleges and universities in ICR use a national platform called Handshake to connect students with internships and jobs. If you are searching for an intern, you should consider posting the opportunity on Handshake to connect with local candidates.
For additional information or seek assistance in developing an internship program, contact:
University of Iowa Pomerantz Career Center
Contact: Allan Boettger, allan-boettger@uiowa.edu
Website: https://careers.uiowa.edu/employers/internships
Coe College
Contact: Barb Tupper, 319-399-8662, btupper@coe.edu
Website: https://www.coe.edu/academics/coe-difference-centers-and-programs/center-creativity-careers/careers/employers
Cornell College
Contact: Jason Napoli, 319-895-4458, jnapoli@cornellcollege.edu
Website: https://www.cornellcollege.edu/berry-career-institute/Internships-research-opportunities/index.shtml
Mt. Mercy College
Contact: Nate Klein, 319-368-1323 or ext. 1630, nklein@mtmercy.edu
Website: https://www.mtmercy.edu/career-services
Kirkwood Community College
Contact: Danielle Ebaugh, danielle.ebaugh@kirkwood.edu
Workplace Learning Connection (high school internships)
Contact: Sarah Shepherd, 319-398-2584, sarah.shepherd@kirkwood.edu and Sue Neil, 319-398-4828, sue.neil@kirkwood.edu
Website: http://www.kirkwood.edu/site/index.php?p=38584
A coalition of local employers and organizations working together to support and grow inclusion and diversity in our workforce. The coalition meets monthly with a focus on:
- Developing diversity and inclusion resources for employers.
- Connecting diverse professionals through social and professional networks.
- Increasing the number of diverse high school and college students who intern with ICR employers.
Looking for assistance in customized training programs for your staff? Connect with the Corporate Training Team at Kirkwood Community College! They offer scheduled training products along with customized options and support for the development of apprenticeships, earn and learn models, and more.
The Eastern Iowa Human Resource Association is an affiliate of the Society for Human Resource Management. Whether you are new to the HR field or have many years of experience, they are a great local starting point for networking, information, professional development and continued support of excellence in Human Resources. EIHRA hosts a variety of valuable training opportunities throughout the year.
Employers’ Council of Iowa (ECI) is an advisory group, located in each Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) region, and offers no-cost membership open to all businesses in the community. Its purpose is to guide IWD’s business focus, address topics of concern to employers, sponsor training initiatives, and assist IWD in meeting critical human resource needs.
Local Contact: Kate Pine at katherine.pine@iwd.iowa.gov
Workshop Calendar
Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) offers a variety of services to benefit employers, including recruitment assistance, tax credits to hire new employees and outreach to targeted groups. Their programs include:
Hire A Veteran (Home Base Iowa)
Business Services
Employer Incentives
Contact: Kate Pine at katherine.pine@iwd.iowa.gov.
Employers’ Council of Iowa (ECI) is an advisory group, located in each Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) region, and offers no-cost membership open to all businesses in the community. Its purpose is to guide IWD’s business focus, address topics of concern to employers, sponsor training initiatives, and assist IWD in meeting critical human resource needs.
Contact: Kate Pine at katherine.pine@iwd.iowa.gov
Sector Partnerships are comprised of diverse businesses within an industry, as well as education, workforce, economic, and community organization partners. These business led partnerships develop goals and strategies, and implement and evaluate strategies to meet the workforce needs of a given industry.
Click on the following link to see how industry sector partnerships in the ICR Iowa Region are working together to assist students and the available workforce in completing an interest assessment and exploring careers opportunities right here in the ICR Iowa region that align with their personality type.