School-To-Career Days are soon approaching and a significant number of our students will be asked to job shadow while DACC showcases our programs to prospective tenth-graders from the surrounding area. Students who are not required to participate in School-To-Career Days must either complete written assignments or job shadow. Students will be charged with UNEXCUSED absences if they do not complete the written assignment or job shadowing experience. School-To-Career Days are scheduled for November 19 & 20.
The Association for Career & Technical Education defines job shadowing as "a work-based learning opportunity in which students explore a job by spending the workday as a shadow to an experienced worker."
Why Job Shadow?
Job shadowing provides for numerous opportunities for your high school student. For example:
- Explore career options.
- Find out what the field is like.
- Make better career choices.
- Know what skills are needed.
- Create realistic career goals.
- Develop possible career contacts.
- Experience firsthand the world of work.
- Observe "soft skills" such as customer service, teamwork, and professionalism.
Job shadowing has also been reported to be effective in getting students interested in school, reinforcing student learning, connecting classroom work with future career success, improving student achievement, and helping to motivate students to attend college.
Tips for Job Shadowing
A successful job shadowing experience requires planning and organization. Before your high school student goes on their job shadowing experience in a few weeks, please take an active role in their education and review the following tips with them:
1. Arrange for transportation well
in advance.
2. First and foremost, remember
the safety rules you were taught
in your program.
3. Confirm the date, time, name of
the person, phone number, and
location of the shadowing
experience.
4. Arrive early. If you are not sure
of the location, make a trip to
the location the night before.
5. Dress appropriately and use
proper hygiene. Leave the
jeans, shorts, or tank tops at
home.
6. Introduce yourself and shake
the person's hand. Smile, be
friendly, have good eye contact,
and relax. Make a good first
impression. Address people as
Mr., Ms., Dr.
7. Turn your cell phone off.
8. Do your homework. Know
something about the company.
Read about them on their
Web site. Have a few good
questions to ask them.
9. Prepare for changes. If
something happens and the
shadowing experience has to
be cut short, react positively
and ask if you can reschedule
for another time.
10. Make the best of your
shadowing experience even if
it is not what you had hoped
for. Listen and learn all that
you can. Be prepared to help
and get involved if possible.
Remember to gather some
business cards for future
networking. Bring along a
notepad and pencil to take
notes.
11. Never ask for a job.
Remember to send them a
thank you note via e-mail or
regular mail.
