Kirkwood Continuing Education

Whether you work in manufacturing, healthcare, education, government, business, or a nonprofit organization, one challenge remains the same: How do we improve results without creating more work?

Learn from experienced professionals Kara Hinzie, Robert Rathje, and Steve Wilson as they share practical tools for leadership, process improvement, problem-solving, and workplace effectiveness in these upcoming programs:

- Lean Continuous Improvement | Begins Sept. 17
- Training Within Industry | Begins Aug. 25
- Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certification | Begins Sept. 14

These classes are designed for professionals who want to improve the way work happens every day.

Sign up today: www.kirkwood.edu/leantraining

🌟 Kirkwood is bringing a nationally recognized AI thought leader to Cedar Rapids!

We're excited to welcome Bill Schmarzo, internationally known as the "Dean of Big Data," for a special hands-on seminar this fall. Bill is an AI strategist, author, educator, and keynote speaker with more than four decades of experience helping organizations use data, analytics, and AI to create real business value.

Don't miss this upcoming workshop:
Build Your Own AI Work Assistant
October 13, 2026, 8am - 12pm
Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Learn more today at www.kirkwood.edu/exploreai

Johnson County, get ready for more classes, built just for you!

Maybe it's creating something with your own hands. Building skills for a new career. Or finally trying that class you’ve been thinking about.

This fall, Kirkwood Continuing Education is bringing 40+ new classes to Johnson County including healthcare career training, artificial intelligence, project management, industrial trades, languages, photography, woodworking, and more.

Partners make all the difference. With help from local organizations like Dream City and Neighborhood Centers of Johnson County, more opportunities are becoming available where you live and work.

Classes close to home start as early as this month!
Find the one that’s right for you:

Johnson County Classes | Kirkwood Community College | Cedar Rapids, Iowa View continuing education classes in Johnson County, including healthcare, technology, professional development, and life & leisure.

Summer hours have wrapped up, and we're back to our regular schedule! Our Continuing Education offices are now open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Need help registering, have a question, or ready to explore your next learning opportunity? We're here and happy to help!

Get cozy with wool and creativity at our 2D Needle Felting class on Friday, August 7th! Learn the basics of this relaxing art form with no previous experience required! Choose to craft a charming mushroom or a plump little pumpkin. Plus, a portion of every registration supports youth scholarships through our partner, Eastern Iowa Arts Academy. Register today: bit.ly/4bGLO9L

Earlier this week, wastewater professionals from across Iowa gathered at Kirkwood's Annual Wastewater Conference to connect, learn, and explore the latest trends and challenges shaping the industry. Thank you to everyone who attended, shared their expertise, and helped make this year's conference a success. We appreciate your commitment to protecting Iowa's water resources and look forward to continuing the conversation next year!

What an afternoon yesterday! 🎙️ A big thank-you again to the Morning Scramble on Z102.9 for broadcasting live from the Kirkwood Regional Center at the University of Iowa and helping us celebrate the launch of our Fall 2026 Continuing Education catalog! The crew also joined us for a firsthand look at the creativity, learning, and fun happening in our KICK summer camps.

Throughout the afternoon, listeners heard from:

💬 Jodi, Senior Director, who shared how community feedback helps Kirkwood CE offer relevant, useful, and engaging classes - from business and technology, to transportation and life enrichment - while new partnerships with Dream City bring more programming to the Iowa City area.
💬 Josh, KICK Counselor, whose KICK journey began as a camper himself! Inspired by the KICK experience and now helping lead the fun, he is pursuing a career in education and will begin student teaching this fall.
💬 Megan, Program Manager, who highlighted how Kirkwood Corporate Training creates customized workforce solutions for employers of all sizes and industries—including timely opportunities in AI, with a free, sneak-peek preview webinar coming Sept. 9.
💬 Sherreka, Phlebotomy student, who shared how much she valued the program’s hands-on learning and clinical experience. Next, she plans to continue at Kirkwood through the EMT and EKG programs!

Thank you again to Z102.9, our guests, and everyone who tuned in!

Head to www.kirkwood.edu/cecatalog and start exploring what’s new this fall! 💙

We're thrilled to welcome the Morning Scramble on Z102.9 at the Kirkwood Regional Center at the University of Iowa - broadcasting live today from now until 4 p.m.!

Tune in to hear about awesome KICK Camps, the launch of our Fall Kirkwood Continuing Education Catalog, and conversations with guest speakers highlighting opportunities for learners of all ages and the impact Kirkwood has throughout our community and region.

We’re excited to be part of today's conversation - come listen in! 🎶

Every new driver starts somewhere. We're grateful to families like Christine's who trust Kirkwood Continuing Education to be part of this important milestone.

Helping students build safe habits and confidence behind the wheel is why we do what we do.

🚗 Fall High School Driver Education begins in September.
Register today: www.kirkwood.edu/DriversEducationApplication