Job Shadowing (SPA)

The Career Exploration and Education Job Shadowing program (JS) is designed to help diverse students and recent graduates (up to two years post-graduation) learn about various career opportunities and immerse themselves in a variety of workplaces. These experiences deepen participants’ understanding of an industry, organizational culture and day-to-day responsibilities of a role in their field of interest. Ultimately, this program can serve students and recent graduates in their exploration of self and careers. Through employer, alumni and co-educator stories, participants gain important knowledge that supports career development, reconnect with personal values, skills and interests and have career uncertainty and non-linear career paths normalized. 

The Signature Program Assessment (SPA) was supportive for several reasons. Firstly, it aimed to gather insights into how experiential learning could help students and recent graduates discover and connect their values, interests and skills to potential and career interests. This understanding will inform enhancements made to the Job Shadowing program as Career Exploration & Education assesses and iterates programming to better meet the career needs and interests of students and recent grads. Secondly, the project sought to explore the role of identity in participant exploration and decision-making, which had not been formally assessed before. This information was vital for adjusting the program to be more inclusive and supportive of diverse identities. 

Throughout the assessment, the team collected data from pre- and post-experience surveys and post-program focus groups with participants. The Job Shadowing program had a significant impact on current students and recent grads in several key areas: 

• Career Path Insight: Participants reported a deeper understanding of specific careers, including the skills required and the flow of tasks. This insight helped demystify their expectations and broaden their potential career interests. Notably, 61% of participants reported that they had developed key career exploration skills (i.e., reflective practice, research skills and networking) through the job shadowing experience, which would support them in their career development (33% pre-JS vs 61% post-JS. A 28% increase).  

• Networking and Relationships: Through the job shadowing experience, participants learned the importance of building connections and teamwork and developed skills and confidence in networking. The post-program assessment revealed a 14% increase in participants who felt they needed to develop a support network and knew how to do so after participating in the JS experience (44% pre-JS vs. 58% post-JS). By reframing the mindset around networking, discussing strategies to make connections, and providing practical experience, participants gained the knowledge of how to reach out and interact with people in the field, reducing anxiety and stress while building their confidence. 

• Skill Development and Application: Participants appreciated the practical learning opportunities, such as projects and mock case studies. These activities helped them understand the required skills and how their own skills and interests connected to the field. 

• Comfort with Uncertainty and Non-Linearity: The program helped students and recent grads become more comfortable with the uncertainty and non-linear nature of career paths. They learned the importance of knowing themselves to help them find careers that align with their values, skills and interests and being open to various possibilities. 

• Exploring Identity in the Workplace: Conversations with co-educators about career and identity were particularly valuable and fostered a sense of hope and resiliency among students and recent grads. Participants found it supportive to connect with hosts who shared similar lived experiences and identities, gaining valuable insight into navigating their identity in the workplace. 61% of participants shared that a host’s identity had a role in their decision-making of which placement to apply for; 46% had a conversation around identity.  

Based on the findings from the assessment project, several changes were made to the Job Shadowing Program: 

• Enhanced Identity Component: The program was adjusted to better support students in exploring how their identities intersect with their career development. This included more explicit conversation in the Job Shadowing orientation about the valuable opportunity to discuss identity and careers with a host and offering space for participants in the JS application to reflect on the role of identity in their exploration and decision-making. Recruitment of hosts with diverse identities and academic backgrounds was expanded, providing more opportunities for participants to connect with hosts who shared similar backgrounds and experiences.  

• Emphasis on Host Education: A greater focus on host education was placed by redeveloping a job shadowing host guide and creating a streamlined process for vetting hosts to ensure that co-educators could nurture safe spaces for conversation and support diverse participant community. The vetting process included assessing for evidence of equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility in an employer’s work/organization. Through the recruitment phase, there is a focus on seeking hosts with intersectional identities, diverse academic backgrounds and possible non-linear career paths.  

• Expanded Networking Opportunities: The program incorporated more structured networking activities to help students build their support networks. This included both virtual and in-person opportunities to connect with global professionals and peers. The introduction of post program networking / appreciation events also allowed for students, recent grads and hosts to come together to connect informally and learn about the various opportunities within the Job Shadowing program.  

• Improved Focus on Career Exploration: The Job Shadowing Orientation highlighted the importance of career exploration skills. In the orientation workshop, active learning strategies were implemented so participants could practice essential career exploration skills like reflection, research and networking. Asynchronous materials, such as a Job Shadowing Workbook and orientation video were also created to support self-directed career exploration. In the pre- and post-experience assessments, participants evaluated the development of their skills and identified next actions in their career journey. As a result, the program now includes more resources and support for students and recent grads to continue building these skills beyond their job shadowing experience.  

The SPA not only provided valuable insights but also led to meaningful improvements in the Job Shadowing program and emphasized the importance of experiential learning. By continuously adapting and enhancing the program, the Career Exploration and Education team ensured that it remained a vital resource for students and recent grads navigating their career journeys.