La’ James International College and iJAG launch beauty career camp for Iowa students

La’ James International College and iJAG are teaming up for a five-day summer camp in Fort Dodge, Iowa, that will give high school students hands-on exposure to cosmetology, esthetics and nail technology. The inaugural program runs July 13-17 and is designed to help students explore a possible career path before graduation.

Why it matters: - The Future Beauty Pro Experience gives Iowa students a direct look at careers in the beauty industry before they commit to post-high school plans. - The camp is designed to move career exploration from observation to hands-on training, which can help students make more informed choices. - La’ James International College and iJAG are using the program to connect education with workforce pathways in a field that offers multiple career options.

What happened: - La’ James International College and Iowa Jobs for America’s Graduates launched the inaugural Future Beauty Pro Experience summer camp. - The five-day camp runs July 13-17, 2026, at La’ James International College’s Fort Dodge campus. - The program is open to high school students age 16 and older, including students still enrolled in high school and those who graduated this past May. - Campers will live in Xanadu apartments near the Fort Dodge campus during the week.

The details: - Students will get hands-on exposure to cosmetology, esthetics and nail technology. - Licensed instructors and industry practitioners will lead the training. - The camp will mirror the student experience at La’ James International College, from coursework to career outcomes. - Participants will connect with iJAG peers and La’ James International College staff. - The Fort Dodge campus is the home office for La’ James International College’s five Iowa campus locations. - La’ James International College identified possible future expansion to its Des Moines (Johnston) campus. - La’ James International College says the college offers programs in cosmetology, esthetics, nail technology and more. - iJAG says it serves more than 13,000 students across middle school, high school and post-graduation transitional services through 204 programs in 52 counties. - iJAG partners with Iowa school districts on in-school career development programming, including leadership training, skill-building, employer engagement and guidance. - La’ James International College lists more information at ljic.edu. - iJAG lists more information at iJAG.org.

Between the lines: - The camp blends career exposure with a residential experience, which may make the program feel more like a real college pathway than a one-day workshop. - The partnership gives iJAG students access to a professional learning environment and gives La’ James International College an early recruiting pipeline. - The potential expansion to Johnston suggests the college may be testing whether the model can scale beyond Fort Dodge.

What's next: - The first camp session will be held in Fort Dodge in July. - La’ James International College may expand the program to its Des Moines (Johnston) campus in a future year. - The launch will show whether hands-on beauty career camps can become a repeatable recruitment and workforce-development tool.

The bottom line: - La’ James International College and iJAG are turning career exploration into a weeklong, immersive test drive for Iowa students.