Free Fire and Emergency Medical Services Career Fair set for DMACC Ankeny Campus

Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) will host a Fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Career Fair on Thursday, March 27th, from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the Conference Center in Building #5 on the DMACC Ankeny Campus. The event is free and open to the public, including current DMACC students and high school students interested in pursuing careers in fire services and emergency medical care. 

More than 45 fire departments, ambulance services, healthcare providers, and other EMS employers from across Iowa will be on hand to talk about career opportunities for firefighters, paramedics, and EMTs. As Iowa faces a significant staffing shortage in the industry, this event helps connect new recruits with hiring agencies. 

“The need these first responders is unprecedented,” said Joel Otte, DMACC’s EMS and Fire Science Education Coordinator. “Some rural areas that once relied on volunteer firefighters are now seeking full-time staff due to increased call volumes.” 

Growing populations in suburban areas are fueling the demand, too, including here in Ankeny, where the Fire Department is recruiting for eight positions to staff a new fire station next year. Some agencies are even hiring uncertified recruits and sponsoring their certification through DMACC, Otte said.

The College’s Fire Science and EMT programs have experienced substantial growth in the past few years, with 225 students currently enrolled across various levels of training. And most paramedic students are already employed halfway through the program, Otte said.

Fire departments from Sioux City to Fort Dodge, Davenport to Iowa City will be represented at the Career Fair, including several alums from DMACC’s program who will be on site to highlight successful career pathways.  

Brent Conklin, Program Chair and Lead Instructor for DMACC’s Fire Science Technology Program, noted that 15 of the 20 graduates from the Class of 2023, including three women, are already employed full-time, many in local departments.

Some of the program’s alumni will be working in the booths at the Career Fair, representing their prospective departments, and will be available to answer any questions about the program, advise on the steps to take for a hiring process, and what it's like to be a new career firefighter in the region.