Job shadowing is a process of following an experienced employee and observing their daily activities and duties. It is a way of learning by doing and a valuable experience that helps young people understand the ins and outs of a particular job or industry. Young people can observe the daily routines of employees in various roles and increase their understanding of related careers. However, young people who job shadow are not expected to undertake a work task or to develop hard skills while at the enterprise.
Job shadowing as part of the GoTeach program at DHL Group is aimed at helping young adults who want to learn about doing a job that they don't have experience in. Observing and having a conversation with a host gives a much deeper insight into what a job involves than just reading job descriptions. By observing the host, young participants can get a real grasp of what the role entails, its tasks, and its requirements.
Through job shadowing, young participants can bridge the gap between theory and practice. They are there to investigate an occupation or career, clarify carrier ambitions and develop a better understanding of progression routes into relevant professions.
5.7.1 Objectives
At the end of the job shadowing experience the job shadower should be able to:
- Clarify whether this is a career path they want to pursue
- Develop awareness of the academic, technical, inter-personal and other employability skills that are usually required of employees
- Develop an understanding of the critical connections between school and work, particularly the relevance of their studies to the role of the host
- Explore and think about potential career paths
- Make informed choices about their future career
- Gain confidence in career decision-making
5.7.2 Target Audience
The target audience for this module are young people from vulnerable communities who are transitioning from school to the world of work. The organization SOS children’s villages or Teach for all will nominate the participants that would benefit from this activity. A DPDHL coordinator will link the participant with the host.
5.7.3 Location
The location where the job shadowing takes place is agreed upon between the job shadower (The employee who is observing the co-worker) and the host (The person who has agreed to be observed/shadowed). Ideally it should take place in the host’s workplace.
5.7.4 Duration
A job shadow varies in length from a few hours to two workweeks. You may only want to spend one day, or you may want to shadow a few hours a week for several weeks or months. This should be agreed between the job shadower and the host.
5.7.5 Method
Face to face is the most preferred way for job shadowing. Students typically job shadow individually, but on occasion small groups of up to two or three students might visit a workplace.
5.7.6 GoTeach Library Materials
More detailed insights and information on this activity can be found in the material from our GoTeach library below.
