Students have the opportunity to explore and experience potential career choices by participating in the Job Shadowing Program offered by the Career Mentoring Program at LZHS.
The Job Shadowing Program allows freshmen through seniors who meet the academic eligibly requirements to visit work sites and get hands on experience in the field of their choice by shadowing a mentor for either a full day or half a day.
“[The main goal of the program is to] have students experience their potential career [choice] or to narrow down a career,” Jeanette Greco, Career SiteMentorsaid.
Students must agree to all the terms listed on the job shadowing student contract to participate. On the day of the shadow, the student must provided transportation to and from the work site. Within a week after the shadow, the student must meet with Ms. Greco, write a thank you letter to the mentor, and fill out a reflection sheet.
Fourteen LZHS students have filled out an application to partake in the Job Shadowing Program since the start of the school year.
“[Doing] the job shadowing helps you decide what you think you want to do is right for you.” Carly Pietro, senior, said. “It gives you a little taste of your possible career. It was like I actually was [a chemical engineer] for the day.”
Businesses are found through their association with the Chamber of Commerce. If the business is not part of the community, additional research is conducted to find a place for the particular career.
After spending the day at Insight Beverages for chemical engineering, Pietro said this program helped her decide she does not want to pursue this career.
“This is the time to prepare, and it’s the time to decide [your career] so you don’t have to experience the career change in college,” Greco said.
Tom Butkus, senior, visited Schwartz Engineering to shadow a mentor in mechanical engineering. Mechanical engineering takes aspects of physics and materials science to work with machines. Butkus’ experience in job shadowing helped him to discover he wants to pursue mechanical engineering in college.
“It’s good to get a feel and to interact with people who do the job you want to pursue,” Butkus said. “I’m very grateful I was able to participate in this program.”
Both Pietro and Butkus recommend that students should participate in this program because it allows students to decide whether a certain career is the right career for them.
“I’m excited for students when they come back and say this made me realize I don’t want to do this particular career, but I want to do this [career],” Greco said.
Students who are interested to go on a shadow must fill out an application discussing the job they wish to shadow. Applications are located on the job shadowing bulletin board in the cafeteria, the main office and the counseling office.