JOB SHADOWS & CAREER MENTORSHIP

OVERVIEW

Students learn about job opportunities through observation by spending a limited amount of time with someone who is working in that career. Job shadowing is a short-term (usually a half-day) educational experience that introduces 1-5 students to a particular job or career by pairing the students with an employee of a business, industry, or agency. Career mentoring typically spans over a longer period on an as-needed basis. They learn what the day-in, day-out of the position looks like, can ask questions, and get a better understanding of how the position works within their career pathway.

Please note: These experiences are typically a young person’s first exposure to a workplace setting, and it may seem very foreign to them. Aligning this experience with the students’ interests or potential career goals makes the experience more meaningful and impactful.

By following or "shadowing" the employee, the student becomes familiar with the workplace environment and physical setting and some duties associated with that occupation.

Students will be exposed to your company’s dynamic along with the work setting which will help to align the compatibility of the occupation with the students’ career goals.

A student leaves a job shadow feeling inspired having heard about success stories, various career pathways, and hearing about your company as a place they may potentially be interested in working!

WHAT MAKES A GREAT STUDENT EXPERIENCE?

We know there’s a lot to consider in planning experiences that are beneficial to both students and our business community, our ever-changing world of work, so see this as a collaborative process! To ensure a quality experience, thoughtful planning must precede the job shadow, with careful attention given to the agenda for the day of the job shadow, appropriate follow up, and evaluation. We appreciate your collaboration in this process!

EMPLOYER CHECKLIST: BEFORE THE JOB SHADOW

PLAN AHEAD: Offer some date options to your school contact, and prepare those on your team who will be interacting with the students with these guidelines.

In choosing a date, think about the level of activity in your workplace; it would be especially beneficial if the students could see a high-functioning day and observe meetings/presentations.
Complete the required JCPS Background Check: JCPS requires that each company hosting students has each person on your team complete a background check. Be sure to do this a minimum of 2 weeks prior to the scheduled job shadow day.
Complete this Work-based Learning Partner Agreement (once completed, this will suffice for all student experiences going forward).

SHARE LOGISTICS: 1-2 weeks prior to the event, the Business Partner should:

Send information to the teacher/Academy Coach about your company so students can be thinking about what they hope to learn.
Send an itinerary so students have an idea of what to expect. Include information like:
- What should students wear? Will any safety equipment be required?
- Where should they go when they arrive?
- Will lunch/refreshments will be provided?

SHADOW DAY

Overall, a great job shadow experience for high school students involves a well-structured, informative and interactive opportunity that allows students to explore a potential career field while receiving guidance and mentorship from professionals within that industry.

We asked JCPS students and educators what they wanted to do, hear, and learn from this experience; use these as objectives in planning:

Interactive career exploration is key! Engage students with hands-on activities, allowing them to use tools relevant to the field, provide feedback and ask questions.
Learn about and see aspects of different jobs within your company, including wages and benefits of the work. If applicable, offer explanations of job roles, industry terms, educational requirements, company policies, pay levels, benefits, and future career prospects.
See and hear actual work being done, and get a “feel” for the work environment/culture. Allow students to observe and participate in a company meeting or demonstration.
Make a connection to the type of skills needed to work in the industry and connect the work with the type of post secondary education needed for the various jobs. Discuss real-world employee and employer expectations like professionalism.
Provide a realistic portrayal of the work environment, including insights into employee dynamics, management practices, community involvement, ongoing projects, challenges, and positive aspects of the job.

We kindly ask that you do not:

Bring students into an unclean, unsafe or uncomfortable environment; disrespectful or negative commentary, bad language or information that is too personal.
Only observation and sitting rather than giving the student an opportunity to learn, help, try things and ask questions.

PLANNING THE ITINERARY

Use these tips and focus areas as you plan the itinerary for the student(s) job shadow experience or career mentor conversations. With questions or ideas, contact the Academy Coach at your partner school. Here are the focus areas to consider in planning for a valuable student experience:

PRO TIP: For conversation starters and to help craft your itinerary, talk to the Academy Coach or teacher at your partner school to see what the students have learned so far, and what they’ll learn next.

Inspiration & Relevance: Time spent with students on a job shadow day should be educational, providing insights into your operations, trends, technologies, and career opportunities. Interactive sessions or demonstrations often make the experience more engaging. Think about...

Who can you introduce the student to? Select a strong leader or leaders for the students to shadow. If possible, the students would benefit from being introduced to multiple roles within your business.
What projects can they see?
Do you have any materials you could share that would be helpful for them to understand your company? Company-branded items are welcome, too!

Real-World Exposure: Visiting actual workplaces, factories, or offices within the industry gives students a firsthand look at how things operate, offering a tangible understanding of the profession. Plus, aligning the tour with students’ interests or tying it to classroom learning makes the experience more meaningful and reinforces academic concepts.

Expert Guidance: Opportunities for students to meet with professionals or explore mentorship possibilities can be incredibly valuable for their future career aspirations! A student can leave a job shadow feeling inspired having heard about success stories, various career pathways, and hearing about your company as a place they may potentially be interested in working! Please also be flexible and patient: keep in mind the students have likely not been in a work environment like yours, and providing any insight into workplace culture would be helpful!