What Is Job Shadowing?

The goal of career education is to motivate students to learn by showing them that learning is directly linked to their future. Job Shadowing is one way to make the connection between education and careers. It exposes students to professional settings and helps them become comfortable in new situations.

Job Shadowing allows students to spend part or all of a workday learning, observing, and interviewing business professionals. Some students are able to confirm that their career goals are worth pursuing. Other students have learned that they want to change career goals. Both scenarios are good because they give students realistic insight into careers and helps them set achievable goals.

For younger students who are not able to drive to shadowing sites, Career Fairs are a popular option to shadowing. A career fair brings professionals to the school for presentations on industry trends and employment opportunities. It's an exciting way to motivate students because it is often the first step to career planning and goal setting.

The staff at Maplewood Career Center has extensive business contracts across many industries; because of this, the Career Education team will help any school, class, or organization develop a Job Shadowing or Career Fair program. Many of our staff members are also available as speakers.