Job Shadowing
What is Job Shadowing?
Job shadowing immerses each student in the world of work, where they can get first-hand information about job skills and careers. By bringing students into the workplace to see a marketing professional or a health care technician at work, very real and tangible options come alive for them. Job shadowing provides exciting reasons why students should stay in school. It creates a critical link between education and success.
Job shadowing can occour on any day, however there are a few special days when a national effort is made to make people aware of job shadowing.
- Groundhog Job Shadow Day is always on Groundhog Day, February 2. Sometimes WCPSS will move this to a more suitable day.
- Take Your Child To Work Day is always on the fourth Thursday of April.
- Take Our Sons And Daughters To Work Day is always on the fourth Thursday of April.
A data collection tool to record the shadow experience. (PDF 112 KB)
A checklist for the student prior to shadowing.
Parent Permission
The parent or guardian of the student must sign a permission form that includes the following information:
- Student name
- School name
- date and time of the shadow experience
- name of the business volunteer that the student is shadowing
- name of the business where the volunteer works
- address of the shadowing location
- phone number at the business in case the student needs to be contacted
- transportation provider (both to and from the shadowing experience, and during the experience)
Note: If the transportation is provided by someone other than the student, his/her own parent or guardian, or a school staff person, then a WCPSS background check must be done on that person.
This information will be a part of each school's own Job Shadow Permission form. An example from West Millbrook Middle School. (PDF 24 KB)
This signed form will be collected prior to the job shadowing experience and kept on file at the school.
Your school may require you to complete WCPSS form 1713a, Parental Consent and Emergency Information for School Trips (available in English and Spanish) for each student. You can use this form and attach the additional information that is not already requested on the form.Liability Insurance
The Wake County Public School System carries liability insurance on our students who participate in job shadowing. This insurance is in effect only if the shadowing information is sent to the Central Office. Download a copy of the Work-Based Learning form (Excel 24KB) that needs to be submitted prior to the student's job shadowing experience.
This form must be submitted to the CTE Central Office before the student goes to the job shadowing experience. Attach the completed form to an e-mail and send it to cdroessler.
This form must be submitted as an e-mail attachment. Paper copies, or any other method, will not be accepted.
More information about the insurance coverage can be found on the Work-Based Learning web page.
Background Checks
Wake County Public School System requires business volunteers who drive a student to undergo a background check. This would include volunteers who drive a student as part of a job shadowing experience. This background check is good for two years. To register for a background check, the volunteer needs to see the Career Development Coordinator (CDC) at one of our middle or high schools.
Links
Groundhog Job Shadow Day. This is the national job shadowing web site.
Take Our Sons and Daughters To Work web site.
Take Your Child to Work Day. Tips for the parents to make it a successful day.
Virtual Job Shadowing. View video clips of people in various occupations.
STC Links. The big list of Wake County School-to-Career web links.
Reedy Creek MS Take A Child To Work Day 2005
Student Information (Word 36 KB) - Student Information: Take-A-Child-To-Work Day, April 28, 2005.
La Información del Estudiante (Word 36 KB) - La Información del Estudiante "El Día de Llevar a un Niño a su Lugar de Trabajo" 28 de Abril 2005. (Student Information: Take-A-Child-To-Work Day, April 28, 2005)
Parent Information (Word 32 KB) - Parent Information: Take-A-Child-To-Work Day, April 28, 2005.
Informacion Para Los Padres (Word 36 KB) - Informacion Para Los Padres "El Día de Llevar a un Niño a Su Lugar de Trabajo" 28 de Abril 2005. (Parent Information: Take-A-Child-To-Work Day, April 28, 2005)
Request For Excused Absence For Educational Reasons (WCPSS Form 1710) (Word 52 KB) - Request For Excused Absence For Educational Reasons (WCPSS Form 1710).
Solicitud Formulario Para Motivar Ausencias Debido A Razones Educativas (WCPSS Form 1710) (Word 60 KB) - Solicitud Formulario Para Motivar Ausencias Debido A Razones Educativas (Request For Excused Absence For Educational Reasons) (WCPSS Form 1710).
Work Day Interview (Word 24 KB) - List of questions studnets should ask their business host.
Follow-Up Thank You Letter (Word 24 KB) - Sample follow-up thank you letter that a student should write after the day.
Documents
Parent Permission form from Green Hope HS (Word 32 KB)
CDC Cover Letter 2003 (Word 21 KB) This is the letter that was sent to the CDCs to kick off Groundhog Job Shadow Day 2003.
Chamber Release 2003 (Word 22 KB) News release sent to Chambers of Commerce about Groundhog Job Shadow Day 2003.
Fact Sheet 2003 (Word 23 KB) Groundhog Job Shadow Day 2003 Fact Sheet.
Host Guide 2003 (Word 26 KB) Information given to Host Companies explaining Groundhog Job Shadow Day 2003.
Participating Businesses 2003 (Word 25 KB) A list of businesses that participated in Groundhog Job Shadow Day 2003.
Targeted Professions 2003 (Word 21 KB) A list of identified positions that need to be located for Groundhog Job Shadow Day 2003.
Wake County Public School System programs are staffed and offered without regard to race, gender, age, color, religion, national origin, citizenship status, political affiliation, or disability.