Job Shadowing (BS & V)
Requirement 6 of the Dr. Bernard Harris Supernova and the Dr. Sally Ride Supernova offers an option for youth to shadow an adult in a STEM career for a day, in order to learn more about that particular STEM career. These experiences can be very rich and rewarding or a complete bust, depending on how they are set up and how the youth and the STEM role model are prepared.
"Job shadowing is a work experience option where students learn about a job by walking through the work day as a shadow to a competent worker. The job shadowing work experience is a temporary, unpaid exposure to the workplace in an occupational area of interest to the student. Students witness firsthand the work environment, employability and occupational skills in practice, the value of professional training and potential career options. Job shadowing is designed to increase career awareness, help model student behavior through examples and reinforce in the student the link between classroom learning and work requirements. Almost any workplace is a potential job shadowing site."
-- Paris, K., & Mason, S. (1995). Planning and Implementing Youth Apprenticeship and Work-Based Learning. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin, Center on Education and Work.
Tips for Youth
There are MANY websites with job shadowing advice for youth and students. The website Quintessential Careers has several articles, given below with links.
Research Companies and Careers Through Job Shadowing
Job Shadowing Tips Checklist for Teens and Students
Sample Cover Letter to Request Job Shadowing Experience
Questions to Ask While Job Shadowing
Tips for STEM Role Models
It's much more difficult to find resources to help STEM role models provide good experiences to the youth they host for shadowing visits. One good resource, by Techbridge, is actually designed for girls, but much of the advice applies to boys as well.
Role Models Matter
"Job shadowing is a work experience option where students learn about a job by walking through the work day as a shadow to a competent worker. The job shadowing work experience is a temporary, unpaid exposure to the workplace in an occupational area of interest to the student. Students witness firsthand the work environment, employability and occupational skills in practice, the value of professional training and potential career options. Job shadowing is designed to increase career awareness, help model student behavior through examples and reinforce in the student the link between classroom learning and work requirements. Almost any workplace is a potential job shadowing site."
-- Paris, K., & Mason, S. (1995). Planning and Implementing Youth Apprenticeship and Work-Based Learning. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin, Center on Education and Work.
Tips for Youth
There are MANY websites with job shadowing advice for youth and students. The website Quintessential Careers has several articles, given below with links.
Research Companies and Careers Through Job Shadowing
Job Shadowing Tips Checklist for Teens and Students
Sample Cover Letter to Request Job Shadowing Experience
Questions to Ask While Job Shadowing
Tips for STEM Role Models
It's much more difficult to find resources to help STEM role models provide good experiences to the youth they host for shadowing visits. One good resource, by Techbridge, is actually designed for girls, but much of the advice applies to boys as well.
Role Models Matter
