Sharing Perspectives and Realizing Knowledge (SPARK)

SPARK is a joint program between OneIT and HCIS for professionals within the IT community to enhance experiential, or "on-the-job" learning and career mobility. Experiential learning is one mechanism to help ensure the skills of our IT workforce meet current and future institutional needs, a specific strategy under the IT Workforce of the Future goal in the OneIT Strategic Plan, and aligned with UI Health Care’s ICARE core values.

SPARK benefits our campus

• Aligning employee development with organizational needs
• Leveraging existing skilled employees to address skills shortages
• Driving recruitment, retention, productivity, and engagement, and reducing turnover
• Identifying commonalities and opportunities for collaboration, building cohesion within the campus IT community

SPARK benefits our people

• Cultivating curiosity
• Experiencing stretch opportunities
• Exploring and opening up career interests and aspirations
• Generating ideas and innovation with new people in new settings
• Gaining a broader perspective to help them operate more effectively

If you have questions about SPARK, please email: ui-spark@iowa.uiowa.edu
 

Learn more about SPARK

• Observation vs. immersion experiences: SPARK comprises various opportunities, from one- to two-hour observational experiences to longer-term, immersive experiences, where an employee may rotate into a different workgroup for an extended period of time.
• Participation: Whether you're interested in hosting or participating in SPARK, this information will get you started.
• Opportunities: Find current openings and past examples of past SPARK experiences.
• Who's involved: a list of the SPARK project team members
• FAQ: answers to common questions about SPARK