JA Job Shadow

JA Job Shadow® is a comprehensive experience that helps students design an individualized career path. Supporting blended as well as self-guided activities, JA Job Shadow provides a design-thinking structure for career exploration.

Students develop a deep understanding of their talents, interests, and values through a career interest assessment. The result is a broad list of career possibilities. Through informational interviews, students narrow down the list to identify their top potential career opportunities. They interact with professionals in a workplace site visit and during a multi-hour job shadow experience in a career area of interest. Reflection and analysis move students toward their target career or back to their list to explore another option.

Following participation in the program, students will be able to:

• Learn the design-thinking approach.

• Investigate their top three career choices.

• Create an elevator pitch.

• Write a professional thank you note.

• Explore appropriate and inappropriate interview behavior.

• Research potential employers.

JA Job Shadow is part of the JA Work and Career Readiness Pathway and is recommended for high school students (Grades 9-12). This volunteer and educator-led program can be implemented as a classroom based, remote live, or after school program. It includes six 45-minute sessions and two opportunities for site visits with flexible implementation options based on local needs. Extensive self-guided learning experiences and current career-planning tools to enhance networking skills, interview skills, and online profiles are included with this program.