Kennesaw State’s new job shadowing program gives students the opportunity to connect with experiences and people that will help them find a career after graduation.
If a student is selected, the program matches the student with an employer based on his or her preferences, and the student then has the opportunity to shadow a job with the employer for one day.
“This program is designed to help students get a glimpse of what a career might look like in different areas,” said employer relations and event manager Erin Stapleton. “This is a great opportunity for students to explore different career paths for one day.”
An important part of joining and participating in the job shadowing is the Handshake app and website. Handshake is free to download and will house resumes, a crucial component of being accepted into the program. Handshake is also where accepted students can find the list of employers they can shadow.
Opportunities within the program span across all majors and fields, and since the shadowing experience is only a one-day experience, it allows students to quickly find networking opportunities and diversify their portfolio.
This program is available to all KSU students who have at least a 2.0 GPA, an approved resume in Handshake and have completed at least one full semester at KSU prior to the shadowing semester.
The job shadowing program is brand new this semester but already has more than 100 employers signed up to host students.
The job shadowing events will take place during the first week in April. The program uses spring break to ensure a realistic experience for participating students by allowing them to observe during real business hours and days without conflicting with their class schedules.
Even though the program is new, spots for both students and employers are filling up quickly.
“So far we are really thrilled with the amount of participation from our employers in the community and have had a large number of responses from students in a short amount of time,” Stapleton said. “We are very hopeful that this will be a successful program for our community employers and most especially for our students.”
Find more information, and the program’s application, on the Department of Career Planning and Development’s website.
