Darreon Jackson, right, talks with possible employers on Monday, March 13, during a reverse hiring event for members of the Quad City Steamwheelers football team at IowaWORKS in Davenport. CREDIT DAVE THOMPSON
The Quad City Steamwheelers indoor football league players are getting ready for the new season, but many team members also are getting ready for jobs in the community. About 30 members of the Steamwheelers met with representatives of about 15 Quad Cities employers on Monday, March 13, for a reverse hiring event at IowaWORKS, 1801 […]
The Quad City Steamwheelers indoor football league players are getting ready for the new season, but many team members also are getting ready for jobs in the community.About 30 members of the Steamwheelers met with representatives of about 15 Quad Cities employers on Monday, March 13, for a reverse hiring event at IowaWORKS, 1801 E. Kimberly Road, Davenport. The Quad Cities Chamber partnered with IowaWORKS to present the event.During the reverse hiring event, reps from area employers visited with the football players who were seated at three tables at the Davenport center. The business leaders conducted brief interviews and presented information about their companies to the players in hopes of finding new employees for their companies.Quad City Steamwheelers player Hunter Nobbs of Reno, Nevada, talks with a teammate on Monday, March 13, during a reverse hiring event for the football players at IowaWORKS in Davenport. CREDIT DAVE THOMPSONThe hiring event, which also was held last year, sought to connect Steamwheelers players with employers so they can get employment in the area and perhaps stay in the community.“I hope they (the players) open their minds and maybe stay here and fall in love with the area,” said Steamwheeler Head Coach Corey Ross. The coach added that several football players got jobs through last year’s hiring event, including a few who took jobs at Tyson Foods in Joslin, Illinois.“This is a really good event for the players,” he added.Monday’s hiring event also was a good experience for many of the employers. Some of those employers included Per Mar Security Services, Royal Publishers, WellSpire and UnityPoint Health.“It’s exciting to see (the players). They have a lot of different backgrounds,” said Sarah Henne, a recruiter with UnityPoint.She added that she was telling the Steamwheelers players – some of whom have medical-related college degrees – about jobs with the Robert Young Center and several entry-level jobs in the health system.In addition to medical-related degrees, several of the football players have degrees in business administration, finance and criminal justice.Steamwheeler Hunter Nobbs, of Reno, Nevada, is a graduate of Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, with a criminal justice degree. Mr. Nobbs met with several potential employers and had a small stack of business cards on his table by Monday afternoon.“This is a cool place. I’m here hoping to make some connections. … Down the road, it’s always good to have connections in business,” he said.Other players also said they were also looking for connections and taking their coach’s advice to heart – keep an open mind on job possibilities.“This is all very interesting. … I’m looking for something up my alley (in business or finance),” said John Williams of Sewell, New Jersey, who has a bachelor’s degree in finance from Wagner College of Staten Island, New York.After meeting with a rep from Per Mar, Mr. Williams said he was interested in a job working in security services. In fact, he was so interested that he indicated he might form his own security firm in the future.Tevita Mounga, left, discusses job opportunities with employers during an IowaWORKS reverse hiring event Monday, March 13, for members of the Quad City Steamwheelers. CREDIT DAVE THOMPSON
Some of the other players at the event and their views include:
Darreon Jackson of Cleveland, Ohio, is a safety on the team. He also works as a life insurance agent, and is hoping to get a job with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) or another federal government job. “I’m here today to see what opportunities there are,” he said.
Joe Krall, who has a business administration degree from Monmouth (Illinois) College, also was at last year’s hiring event. A right guard on the team, Mr. Krall said he was open to many job opportunities and “I want to hit the ground running.”
Tevita Mounga, of California, was a first-timer at the hiring event. “Yep, and I’m just trying to make some connections here,” he said.
The QC Steamwheelers’ football season begins Friday, March 17, with a home game against the Arizona Rattlers. The regular season ends on July 15 with a road game against the Tulsa Oilers.
