The Job Shadow Program at the University of Windsor provides a unique opportunity for you to share your expertise and knowledge with students who are eager to explore different career paths. By allowing students to shadow you in the workplace, you will give them an inside look into your profession and the skills, competencies, and educational requirements to do the job.
As a host, you will determine the length of the job shadow experience. Typically, conversations and observations last approximately 2-3 hours, however some hosts choose to have shorter experiences or shadowing experiences that last all day.
Key Dates
Important dates for the Fall 2024 Job Shadow Program coming soon.
What are the benefits?
- Enhance your leadership and communication skills.
- Network with UWindsor students and identify top talent early on.
- Brand and promote your organization to UWindsor students eager to join the workforce.
- Contribute to the development of our future leaders.
How does it work?
- Complete and submit the Host Registration Form. The details are added to our website for students to review when selecting an organization to visit.
- Students will review all the available job shadow opportunities and apply for the ones they are interested in.
- Student applications are then assessed based on quality and fit. Once complete, students are matched with the appropriate hosts.
- If you are matched with a student, you will receive an introductory email where you and the student will confirm a date, time, and length of the job shadow experience.
- You will meet will the student either in-person at your workplace, or online through MS Teams, Zoom, etc.
What should I provide to a student during a job shadow visit?
During a job shadow visit you may provide some of the following activities:
- Overview of your organization, company culture, and values.
- An overview of the different career paths and roles available within your organization.
- An opportunity to observe your day-to-day tasks to understand the work environment firsthand.
- A guided tour of your workplace to familiarize students with the physical layout, departments, and different job functions.
- The chane to observe a team meeting, project briefing, or strategic planning session.
- The opportunity to interview you or an employee in a position similar to the student's area of interest.
- Tips and guidance on how to succeed in your industry and at your organization.
By becoming a Job Shadow Host, you can make a lasting impact on the lives and careers of University of Windsor students. Register to be part of shaping the next generation of professionals in your indusry.
Questions?
If you have any questions, please contact employer@uwindsor.ca.
FAQ
No. If you choose the virtual option, the Job Shadow Experience can be done at any work location. We have had students travel to other cities for their Job Shadow Experience in the past.
All students participating in the Job Shadow Experience will complete an orientation workshop with Career Development & Experiential Learning. The session will cover topics such as expectations, confidentiality, professionalism, and appropriate questions to ask an employer in an informational interview.
Our orientation workshop reinforces the importance of respecting confidentiality during the job shadow experience, but you are welcome to have the student sign a confidentiality agreement for your organization as well, should that be part of your policy.
If you are hosting your experience online, you can use whichever online meeting platform you are most comfortable with (MS Teams, Zoom, etc.). We also can provide a Teams link for you and the student(s).
If you would like to use your own platform, keep in mind the following:
- Can the student access the online meeting easily through a link, or will they need to download anything?
- Will the student require a certain email to log into the meeting?
- Will the student need specific instructions for accessing the online meeting?
If you have a position that would be interesting for a business student to observe, please contact the Odette Career Services team through odettecareers@uwindsor.ca. Odette Career Services offers the Odette Executive for a Day (EFAD) program where business students shadow an executive, at the director level or higher, for a full or half day.
If you have a position that would be interesting for a law student to observe, please follow this link: http://www.uwindsor.ca/law/careers/14/resources-employers