Job Shadow

1. How do I connect with my Business Partner prior to the Technology Integration Workshop (TIW)?

You will be introduced to your Business Partner via email in mid-July. Be sure to follow up on that email by introducing yourself by phone or email.
Once you receive your email introduction, you and your Business Partner will confirm arrival details of the job shadow. The job shadow will be from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
- For In-Person Job Shadows: Be sure to confirm arrival, parking, and any other logistics for getting to your Business Partner's worksite. They will be told to share this with you.
- For Virtual Job Shadows: Be sure to confirm the virtual platform you'll be using (Google Meet, Teams, Zoom, etc.) and any other details you'll need. They will be told to share this with you.
Set up a brief video chat or phone call with your Business Partner on the afternoon of Monday, July 31; there is time in the workshop schedule between 2:50 and 4:00 p.m. You can tell your Business Partner about your school, the subjects that you teach, the unit plan you'll be working on, and what your goals are for the workshop and job shadow. They can tell you a bit more about their role, company, and what to expect at the job shadow.
Make sure that you are familiar with his/her company and job description.

2. What do I talk about with my Business Partner during the virtual job shadow?

You'll receive a detailed Job Shadow Discussion Guide to help guide your conversation. Your Business Partner may also have specific items they'd like to share with you about their job and workplace.
Share your career path with your Business Partner. How did you get where you are today?
Discuss your experience with distance, hybrid, and in-person learning models and how your school/district made transitions. Ask your Business Partner about their company's remote or hybrid work policies.
Discuss similarities and differences between working in education and working in business. Share ways both industries can collaborate to better prepare students with the skills to be successful in the workplace.

3. What will I do during my virtual job shadow?

For virtual job shadows, you will connect with your Business Partner via a digital platform for a video conference (Google Meet, Teams, Zoom, etc.). For in-person job shadows, you will travel to your Business Partner's worksite to meet 1-on-1 with your Business Partner.
Learn about the company's hiring practices and what skills they desire in new and tenured employees.
Discuss a current project that your Business Partner is working on and identify the skills that they need to complete the project.
Ask about the technology employees use on a daily basis and technologies their company relies on to successfully operate.

4. A large corporation can be very different from a school setting; what should I pay close attention to?

Compare and contrast how your school and the company are different.
Company culture can vary from workplace to workplace; talk about the similarities between your school and your Business Partner's company.
Ask about daily responsibilities, noise level, dress codes, remote/hybrid work policies, meetings, and work load.

5. How will I learn about different roles in the company?

Ask for a brief explanation of the different departments and associated roles.
Ask about the other employees and departments your Business Partner works with most. Your Business Partner may have another colleague join your job shadow or you may sit in on a meeting with them.

6. What if my Business Partner seems really busy on the day of the Job Shadow?

Your Business Partner is committed to discussing and sharing what an average day in his/her job is like and giving you an inside look at their industry. If they are interrupted during your job shadow, ask about their typical pace of work.