Iowa Jobs for America's Graduates (iJAG)

What Iowa Jobs for America's Graduates (iJAG) does

iJAG is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1999 and headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa. It is one of 32 state affiliates of the national Jobs for America's Graduates (JAG) program and operates as Iowa's leading provider of in-school dropout prevention and school-to-work transition services for students in grades 7-12. The organization delivers an evidence-based career development curriculum as semester-based electives embedded directly in partner middle schools, high schools, and alternative education institutions, with each iJAG Education Specialist serving approximately 60 students per year in the role of teacher, counselor, and mentor, including 12 months of post-graduation follow-up. The current footprint spans 202 programs across 45 Iowa counties, serving roughly 8,200 active students and more than 42,000 alumni cumulatively since founding, supported by a network of 4,200+ employer partners.

The core programmatic asset is the iJAG Excellence Model, which links Exploration, Exposure, and Experience to outcomes in Education, Employment, Enlistment, and Entrepreneurship. Underlying technology consists of integrated third-party platforms rather than proprietary systems: the Kuder Navigator career readiness platform (deployed across all 165+ programs in the 2024-2025 school year) provides career assessments, educational planning tools, and data-driven reporting; and the Jobs Dashboard, powered by the National Labor Exchange, connects students and alumni to part-time, full-time, internship, and apprenticeship opportunities. Annual signature events include the Leadership Development Conference (LDC), Career Development Conference (CDC), and Skills Development Conference (SDC), plus the iJAG iMPACT Invitational golf fundraiser. Recent product extensions include the Early College Success Program (ECSP) at Iowa Central Community College (iJAG's first postsecondary offering), a 3+1 CTE program model with IGNITE Pathways, a Brain Health Now curriculum, and a VR-based career learning pilot funded by Variety Iowa.

The revenue model is a multi-stream nonprofit funding stack. Primary support comes from Iowa legislative appropriations and local school district contributions covering in-school program delivery. Private donations from corporate, foundation, and individual donors supplement public funding, with the John Deere Foundation as the largest private donor (cumulative $4M+ since 2005), followed by Principal Financial Group and other corporate sponsors; grants also flow from entities such as the Iowa Women's Foundation, Molina Healthcare of Iowa, and Variety Iowa. Phelan's Circle, a five-year individual giving program, provides restricted funding for new program launches. iJAG does not charge students or families; "customers" in the program-delivery sense are the 202 partner schools, while "customers" in the funding sense are the State of Iowa, school districts, and a corporate/foundation donor base. The organization is led by President & CEO Wendy Mihm-Herold, who succeeded founder Laurie Phelan.

Name

Iowa Jobs for America's Graduates (iJAG)

Legal name

Iowa Jobs for America's Graduates (iJAG)

Website

https://ijag.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

iJAG is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1999 and headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, delivering evidence-based in-school career development, dropout prevention, and work-based learning programs to grades 7-12 students across 202 programs in 45 Iowa counties, supported by state appropriations, school district funding, and corporate donors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Workforce Development Services

NAICS

Apprenticeship Training (611513), Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAFAMAL

Internship/Apprenticeship Matching & Work-Based Learning Platforms

Education/Education Technology (EdTech) & Digital Learning/Career Guidance, College Admissions & Student Success Platforms

SECONDARYBPACANAK

Apprenticeships, Internships & Work-Based Learning Programs

Business & Public Services/HR, Staffing & Recruitment Services/Training, Learning & Development Services

SECONDARYEDAKANAF

Work-Based Learning Programs (Internships, Apprenticeships, Community-Based Instruction)

Education/Special Education & Learning Support Services/Transition Services (Post-Secondary, Employment & Independent Living)

SECONDARYEDAMAKAG

Career Readiness & Employability Skills (Resume, Interview, Networking)

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/College & Career Enrichment (Mentorship, Internships, Portfolio)

Keywords

• Youth career development
• Dropout prevention programs
• School-to-work transition
• Workforce development education
• Career readiness training

Headquarters

HQ city

Des Moines

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Funding (Iowa Legislature): State of Iowa legislative funding represents a primary revenue source supporting statewide programming.
2. School District Support: Local school district support and funding for program delivery in partner schools.
3. Private Donations: Tax-deductible contributions from individuals, corporations, and foundations. iJAG is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization (EIN: 42-1492988). Major donors include John Deere Foundation ($4M+ since 2005), Principal Financial Group, and corporate sponsors.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

iJAG delivers semester-based career development programming as in-school electives in partner middle schools, high schools, and alternative learning centers across Iowa. Each iJAG Education Specialist serves an assigned caseload of students with individualized career planning, employer engagement, leadership development, work-based learning experiences, and follow-up support for up to 12 months post-graduation. The organization also operates the Jobs Dashboard, an online self-serve platform connecting students to employer opportunities, and supplements classroom work with the annual Career Development, Skills Development, and Leadership Development conferences.

Product overview

Iowa Jobs for America's Graduates (iJAG) operates a single integrated portfolio of career development programs and events for students in grades 7-12 and postsecondary. The core offering is an in-school career development electives class — delivered by Education Specialists in partner middle schools, high schools, and alternative schools across Iowa — backed by the evidence-based iJAG Excellence Model. Key technology products include the Kuder Navigator career readiness platform (providing assessments, planning tools, and data-driven reporting) and the Jobs Dashboard (connecting students to employers via National Labor Exchange). The portfolio also includes major annual events: the Leadership Development Conference (LDC), Career Development Conference (CDC), and Skills Development Conference (SDC), plus the iMPACT Invitational golf fundraiser. Postsecondary expansion includes the Early College Success Program (ECSP) at Iowa Central Community College, while curriculum extensions include the Junior Achievement Career Success curriculum and Brain Health Now wellness curriculum. Supporting offerings include the iJAG Alumni Network, State Career Association (SCA), Phelan's Circle giving program, and the iJAG iNSPIRER monthly newsletter. Together, these programs and events are designed to link students to Education, Employment, Enlistment, or Entrepreneurship through Exploration, Exposure, and Experience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• iJAG Career Development Programming Semester-long, in-school career development elective delivered by an embedded iJAG Education Specialist in partner middle schools, high schools, and alternative learning centers across Iowa; serves students facing academic, economic, or social barriers to graduation with individualized career planning, employer engagement, leadership development, work-based learning, and 12 months of follow-up after graduation.
• iJAG Jobs Dashboard Online self-serve job board platform for iJAG students and alumni to browse and apply to full-time, part-time, seasonal, and internship opportunities posted by iJAG's 500+ employer partner network, and for employers to post openings directly to iJAG talent.
• Early College Success Program (ECSP) Concurrent enrollment program in partnership with Iowa Central Community College that allows iJAG students and other at-risk high school students to earn college credit while still in high school, supporting early postsecondary credentialing and transition.
• iJAG Career Development Conference (CDC) Annual statewide student conference bringing together iJAG students from across Iowa for career-focused workshops, competitions, and employer engagement activities.
• iJAG Skills Development Conference (SDC) Annual conference that connects iJAG students with employers and postsecondary partners to build job-readiness skills, practice mock interviews, and explore career pathways.
• iJAG Leadership Development Conference (LDC) Annual leadership-focused conference for State Career Association officers and iJAG student leaders from across Iowa, supporting student leadership development.
• iJAG Alumni Network Post-graduation alumni community and continued support network for former iJAG students to support ongoing career advancement, postsecondary completion, and connection to iJAG employer partners.
• Phelan's Circle Recurring giving society for sustained individual donors who support iJAG's annual operations and program expansion, named in honor of founder Laurie Phelan.
• iJAG iMPACT Invitational Annual signature fundraising event supporting iJAG's statewide career development programming, with corporate and individual sponsorships and event-based giving.

Quantifiable outcome

• 79.5% of students demonstrated academic growth
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Kuder, Inc.coreTechnology or Integration · 1 August 2024Partnership to integrate Kuder Navigator technology platform across all 165+ iJAG programs for the 2024-2025 school year. Kuder Navigator provides career assessments, educational planning tools, and occupational information to help students make informed decisions about career paths.
• Principal Financial GroupflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2002Partnership since 2002 focused on mentorship, financial literacy programming, and immersion experiences. 100 Principal employees mentor students at 15 Des Moines metro schools; immersion programs host students at headquarters; over 20 students hired full-time.
• Junior Achievement of Central IowacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to deliver the JA Career Success curriculum in Marshalltown Community School District. Integrates Junior Achievement's project-based learning with iJAG's proven program model for students in grades 7-12.
• University of Northern IowacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFree work-based learning accreditation for iJAG staff through Work Based Learning authorization program. Staff learn to design, deliver, and evaluate real-world career experiences in partnership with employers.
• Scanlan Center for School Mental Health at the University of IowacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership delivers BEST+Well curriculum to approximately 200 iJAG staff members, enhancing knowledge about brain health through evidence-based applications for students and classrooms.
• Iowa Central Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEarly College Success Program (ECSP) is iJAG's first program for postsecondary students. Career Success Coordinator implements programming featuring career readiness, earn-and-learn opportunities, and tailored career counseling.
• IGNITE Pathways / Woodbine Community School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaunched the state's first-ever 3+1 program model at the IGNITE Pathways Regional Center in Woodbine, home to 100 students. Combines iJAG curriculum (Trauma-Informed Care, Project-Based Learning, Work-Based Learning) with CTE programming.
• Alliant EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosts onsite career exploration events where students complete real-life activities. Presented Women in Technical Energy Careers event for 83 female iJAG students.
• Broadlawns Medical CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOffers paid apprenticeship opportunities year-round for iJAG students from Central Iowa interested in healthcare. TECH and TEACH program graduates students with Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) certification.
• AltecminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosts annual plant tours of their Osceola plant for iJAG students from Clarke High School to learn about skills needed for careers at Altec.
• EMC Insurance CompaniesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSummer internship program for iJAG students from Des Moines Public Schools providing real-world experience in their areas of interest.
• Breakthrough Co.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelivers Active Manager Program to iJAG leadership, introducing fundamentals of learning and active management concepts for workplace mastery.
• Franklin CoveyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatures Leader in Me curriculum to develop college, career, and life-ready leaders in a culture of high staff engagement with students.
• Brain Health NowminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to implement tailored brain health curriculum with Brain Health Retreat Rooms, behavioral coping activities, and emotional regulation exercises in three school district partners.
• Iowa Skilled TradesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost of Build My Future event at Iowa State Fairgrounds, the largest hands-on career exploration event in the state, with signing day ceremony for students committed to skilled trades careers.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Year Up: Year Up is a national workforce development nonprofit providing skills training, internships, and corporate connections to young adults. While focused on postsecondary, its employer-driven talent pipeline model and JAG-aligned workforce outcomes are conceptually similar to iJAG's 12-month post-graduation follow-up.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: National youth mentoring nonprofit delivering 1:1 mentoring to at-risk youth with a school-based mentoring model comparable to iJAG's 1:60 specialist model. Both are nonprofit, donor-funded, and focused on long-term youth outcomes including graduation and career readiness.
• Jobs for America's Graduates (JAG National): JAG is the national umbrella organization of which iJAG is one of 32 state affiliates. It provides the model, training, and national conference structure that iJAG operates against, making it the most directly comparable organization at scale.

Direct peers

• SkillsUSA: National nonprofit serving middle school, high school, and college students preparing for careers in skilled trades and technical fields. Shares the conference-driven engagement model (SkillsUSA Championships parallel iJAG's CDC/SDC), work-based learning emphasis, and public-private funding approach.
• NAF (National Academy Foundation): NAF delivers career-themed academies and work-based learning to high school students nationally, with a focus on dropout prevention and college/career readiness. The model — embedded school specialists, employer engagement, and career academies — is closely comparable to iJAG's Excellence Model.
• Junior Achievement of Central Iowa: Junior Achievement is both a partner of iJAG (delivering the Career Success curriculum in Marshalltown) and a direct peer offering work-readiness, financial literacy, and career exploration programs to K-12 students. Their overlapping curricula and shared target audience (Iowa middle and high schoolers) make them a direct comparable.

Emerging players

• Genesys Works: Provides high school students from under-resourced communities with technical skills training and corporate internships. Shares iJAG's target population, employer partnership model, and post-secondary workforce outcomes, though focused more narrowly on tech/STEM pathways.

Regional players

• Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Iowa: Provides after-school youth development, career exploration, and college/career readiness programming to Iowa youth. Operates in the same geographies and serves overlapping at-risk student populations, with similar public-private funding mix.
• Building Opportunities for Students in Skilled Trades (BOSST): Iowa-focused skilled trades career exploration programming delivered in partnership with area schools. Comparable in regional scope, target student population, and partnership with employers like Iowa Skilled Trades — which also partners with iJAG.

Others

• Kuder, Inc. Career assessment and planning technology provider that powers iJAG's Navigator platform across all 165+ programs. A close technology partner and adjacent peer in the career-readiness software space, rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/iJAGRocks
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@IowaJobsforAmericasGraduates
• Facebookfacebook.com/iJAGRocks
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ijag-iowa-jobs-for-america-s-graduates
• Instagraminstagram.com/ijagrocks

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Iowa Jobs for America's Graduates (iJAG)