Internship & Job Shadow Opportunities:
Focused on Orientation & Mobility (COMS/NOMC)
Focused on Rehabilitation Teaching (VRT/RTB)
The Iowa Department for the Blind (IDB) welcomes partnerships with colleges and universities to provide meaningful, hands-on internship and job shadow experiences for students pursuing careers in Orientation & Mobility (O&M) and Rehabilitation Teaching. IDB offers a unique, immersive training environment that blends structured instruction, real-world application, and philosophy-driven practice across youth services, independent living, and an adjustment-to-blindness training center.
Learn more about these Internship Opportunities
Overview of IDB Programs Supporting Internships
Internships may be customized to meet certification, academic, and professional requirements, with flexibility in scheduling, duration, and focus area. Internship and job shadow experiences may be structured across the following functional areas:
Orientation Center for the Blind (OCB) – Adult adjustment-to-blindness training
Pre-ETS Programs (LEAP) – Residential summer programming for blind youth
Independent Living (IL) Program – Community- and home-based instruction for blind adults
If you are interested in applying for an internship, please contact the Iowa Department for the Blind