Job shadows are an engaging experience for students to gain information about a particular career and interact with a professional in that field.
Student Role
- Students will create accounts in the Career Connections system and apply for a job shadow experience. Career Connections will not place any job shadows during the months of December and May.
- Students will receive a checklist of helpful information for their job shadows including site info, dress codes, logistic information, and tips for interacting with professionals at their shadow.
- Students will be expected to follow-up and confirm their job shadow with the business partner one week before their job shadow. A sample confirmation message will be provided to the student to help them with their call.
- If the student is unable to attend their scheduled job shadow for any reason, it is the student’s responsibility to contact both the business site and their Career Connections work-based learning coordinator. If the student does not contact the site and their coordinator, they may or may not be able to participate in future Career Connections job shadows.
- Upon completion of the shadow, students will be expected to send a thank you note to the business and complete an evaluation of their experience.
Career Connections Role
- Career Connections will come to the school to meet with classes and/or individual students about the job shadow application and process.
- Students will be placed in job shadows by their Career Connections work-based learning coordinator.
- Confirmation/permission messages will be sent to both parents and the coordinating teacher/counselor before final placement for job shadows.
- If your school is cancelled due to inclement weather, the student’s job shadow will be cancelled. The student should still follow-up with their site to let them know. The work-based learning coordinator will assist the student in rescheduling their job shadow.
- Both the student and the business contact will receive an evaluation of the experience.
School/Teacher Role
- Fill out the school release form for the student from Career Connections.
- If this is for a class/credit, you can require any additional components for the job shadow beyond the thank you note and survey.
- Results of the student and business surveys can be provided to you if you wish.