As that time of the year approaches when students are scrambling to find a summer job, seniors are for the first time, in a different boat.
You may miss returning to that familiar pool or ice cream shop you have been working at since high school, but now it is time that those sleepless nights throughout college will come to use.
Now, us seniors will be able to put what we learned in college into practice.
As seniors are filling out countless applications and making career-decisions based on locations, Dubuque may be looking far more attractive as a place to settle down.
Greater Dubuque Development Corporation recently announced that Dubuque has climbed from 157th place for small metropolitan area in the country for expected job growth to 1st place on this year’s list.
Director of Workforce Development at Greater Dubuque Development Corporation Sarah Harris explained how Dubuque has seen a substantial spike in job growth, fueled by IBM, Hormel, Medline and other business expansion.
Dubuque has also moved up in the Forbes list of the best small areas for businesses and careers, making the leap from 40th place in 2009 to 15th place in 2010.
Harris explained how this jump is attributed to a combination of factors, but largely rests on the notion of Dubuque’s quality of life.
“With human capital being a number one asset, companies need to know that they are locating in a place where employees and their families want to live. Great schools, healthcare, low crime and community collaboration are just a few of the many qualities employers look for when choosing a location. Dubuque’s job market continues to increase because businesses see value in providing great quality of life for their employees,” remarked Harris.
However, the many opportunities available to Dubuque citizens are no coincidence.
The mayor and city council identified workforce development strategy as a top priority in the city of Dubuque, explained Harris.
As a result of their collaboration, Dubuque Works was formed. Greater Dubuque Development, Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce, Telegraph Herald, Iowa Workforce Development, The Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque, Dubuque Area Labor Management Council and Northeast Iowa Community College have all combined efforts to fill current and future workforce gaps and to strengthen existing workforce programs.
With the Greater Dubuque area being home to roughly 18,000 college students, the college presidents at the local institutions spoke highly of their students and their dedication to work closely with IBM leaders, creating a segway of talent for the future.
The pool of college graduates was later cited by IBM executives as one of the key factors in their decision-making progress, according to Harris.
City-workers are doing all they can to make college graduates aware of the career opportunities that exist in Dubuque after graduation.
Events such as the CEO Network Luncheons, Dubuque Live, Future Young Professionals and the Tri-College Career fair are just a few of the many opportunities for students to connect with CEOs, Human Resource executives and other community leaders right on campus, explained Harris.
“Due to the down economy, college students will be competing against experienced professionals for job opportunities. Internships, community involvement and a polished resume will give you an advantage over the competition,” said Harris.
Internship Coordinator at Loras College Faye Finnegan wants to make sure that students are aware of all the networking opportunities available to them right on campus as well as in the larger community.
“We as an institution have worked more closely with the Dubuque Chamber in showing students opportunities, such as through the Career Extraveganza and Dubuque LIVE. At least 7 students got offered full-time positions at the Career Extraveganza because they went in being open-minded. The Chamber also recently began hosting the Welcome Back Bash, which creates avenues for students who attend,” said Finnegan.
“The city is reaching out—we want you to stay; young professionals bring a lot to the table and we want you to be tied into the city and the Chamber,” stated Finnegan.
Senior Zach Gries took advantage of the opportunities Loras offered involving Dubuque.
Gries will be working for Cottingham and Butler as an Account Manager upon graduation.
This Dubuque Health Insurance Company was represented at this year’s Dubuque LIVE as well as the Career Fair.
“I spoke with Jennifer Wolf who is the Vice President of Human Resources at Cottingham and Butler at Dubuque LIVE, when she asked me about my graduation plans. Eventually she offered me a chance to interview, and the rest is history!” exclaimed Gries.
“There are a lot of great companies in Dubuque and even if people don’t want to stay forever, these companies provide GREAT experience. Cottingham and Butler is one of those companies. The experience I gain while there, could lead to a variety of new opportunities or a chance to grow with a company throughout my career,” said Gries.
As the city is making continuous efforts to enhance the area, focusing on recreation, advancements are seen through the Mines of Spain, the Riverfront, Arts and the Carnegie-Stout Library, companies are finding more of an avenue for business growth.
Senior Class President matt Romkey is optimistic that the reason seniors are staying in Dubuque is because of the exploitation of workforce.
“This is a very exciting time for the Dubuque community. I believe that this reiterates the fact that there are jobs out there if students are proactive. I have heard from several seniors that they will be staying in Dubuque next year and I believe these new opportunities are to credit for that,” stated Romkey.
Senior Derek Olberding will be holding the position of Loan Representative at Dubuque’s Fidelity Bank & Trust.
“The Greater Dubuque Development Corp and the City of Dubuque should be commended for the job they are doing. I know from personal experience that these two organizations are working very hard not only to retain businesses currently in Dubuque but also to attract new businesses to the city. Dubuque has been known for having many young people either grow up in the area or go to school in Dubuque only to lose that young talent to other larger cities. With the attractions of those businesses and their ability to create job growth they are doing everything in their power to keep that young talent in Dubuque and the ranking just proves that even more,” said Olberding.
